











Class 

Rnnk ' 


GopiglitN? 


COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 




V‘ ' V' 


'W 


v,» 


m'S'iy. 


;5S‘.'':'-‘:ii’'V: j' : :■ . 

' ■' :;; :,i 


. r* 


' < • < 






‘ I , ,•' ■ • ■ ■ ■ 


'.i '■ ■ 


*■ \ 


■' ';,V; ' • 




- \ 


y ’> 


•'.'- r. 


I _ • ■ I ■ . • ■ 

Vs^. •.\.^>.:vv ^.v : :• , 


v> 


■^ ,• ' 






“ • Vi; 'Ky vv'jijJ’':-; 4' '"i '■•■'"y; 

' :v v>^ A ■ ■' %v A ' :v''' 






' ,1 


I < 




j . I •. ^ i 




Ay 


' A ‘ • A 

• . I U ir 

, ■' f if f ' 

■ . r y ': 


i n J’i 

' J.V 


■ ; 'VAWV 

'r 

ivV'Jfi 

.I*-', 


f' V» 


,A N 


> I 


M A . V* , 4 Y,' 

' 'i 

(f . . *>. ' *. * A1 ” 0 


1 ‘ M» «* I 

i r >,.* * 


(/«'■■ ' ' 


■J H(/WA'| 

.A ; 
'-',* .\ 1,1 ># 
'\. 7 i ','• 

I 


^' m 


J V' V.’ ''^ 
■- r 




k I 


•'I- •• 


I? 


ifr.'A -.iM 


' f 


fv, ,U 


A 


»’ ' 


y ;• 


: ■>’*/ ' ' A 


1 / If \ 'v* ♦ ' ' I 









**There the two waited in agonized suspense.” 

— Page 22. 


FIVE BIRDS IN A 
NEST 


BY 


HENRIETTE EUOilNIE DELAMARE 

AUTHOR OF ‘‘children OF THE LOG CABIN,” ‘‘tHE LITTLE 
APOSTLE ON CRUTCHES,” ETC. 


New York, Cincinnati, Chicago 

BENZIGER BROTHERS 

Publishers of Benzig&Ps Magazine 

1914 


Copyright, 1914, by Benzigkr Brothers 




OCT 24 1914 

<S)Ci,A387178 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER I PAGE 

New Year’s Morn 7 

CHAPTER H 

Carlo 19 

CHAPTER HI 

An Unexpected Treat 32 

CHAPTER IV 

Absalom 53 

CHAPTER V 

The Gate of Heaven 69 

CHAPTER VI 

Playing with Fire 96 

CHAPTER VH 

In the Dark Night 119 

CHAPTER VHI 

An Unassuming Hero 137 

CHAPTER IX 

Sailing “La Geneviva” 150 

CHAPTER X 

Bernard’s Trustful Prayer . . . .168 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

CHAPTER I 

NEW year’s morn 



HIS was the morning of New Year’s 


JL Day, and really most seasonable 
weather, for everything was white with 
the snow that still fell in great feath- 
ery flakes, while the sky, everywhere of a 
grayish white, promised yet much more. 

The wind was bitterly cold, and the few 
people hurrying along the streets looked 
fairly nipped, but in the Villa des Mimo- 
sas all was laughter, bustle, and excite- 
ment. 

The children’s governess was just com- 
ing in from morning Mass, but she did not 
mind the storm, for she had on a heavy 
cloth mantle, such as the peasant women 
wear, and she had purposely pulled its 
hood up into a peak. She was much 
amused at the delight of the children, who 


7 


8 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


ran to the door to meet her, exclaiming: 
“Oh, Miss Morris, you look just like old 
Father Christmas with your cloak and 
hood all covered with snow! A happy 
New Year! And have you got our pres- 
ents for Papa and Mamma?” 

“Well, just wait till I shake off some 
of this snow; then I’ll run and get them,” 
answered the governess with a laugh. 
“You don’t suppose I took them to church 
with me, do you?” 

They all followed her upstairs and as 
they were coming down they were startled 
by a sudden burst of military music, and 
hurried to join their mother, who was call- 
ing to them from the dining-room, where 
she was standing by the window with 
Baby Paul in her arms. 

The whole regimental band had as- 
sembled under the great sycamores in the 
courtyard by the side of the house and 
the pale blue tunics and cherry-colored 
trousers of the soldiers made a beautiful 
dash of color against the surrounding 
snowy landscape. 


NEW YEAR’S MORN 


9 


Indoors the great hall stove roared 
cheerily, filling the house with a pleasant 
warmth, and from the kitchen a delicious 
smell of chocolate and hot buttered toast 
announced that breakfast was almost 
ready. 

But no one thought of breakfast just 
then. In spite of the cold the servants 
had grouped themselves outside, the bet- 
ter to enjoy the music, while the children, 
crowding up around their mother and 
Miss Morris, laughed and danced to the 
merry tune. Even the baby in his moth- 
er’s arms crowed and held out his plump 
little arms toward the soldiers he already 
loved to see. 

As for the children’s father. Colonel de 
Boisvallon, he had gone out to thank the 
men for their New Year’s greeting, and to 
give them a more substantial mark of his 
appreciation, with which they might make 
merry for the rest of the day. 

They played several of their liveliest se- 
lections, then, after drinking their Col- 
onel’s health and cheering him lustily, they 


10 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


all marched off to the next officer’s house, 
with great stamping of spurred boots and 
clanging of swords. 

The children were looking after them 
rather regretfully, when they were re- 
minded that this was but the prelude of 
the day’s festivities. A few minutes later 
they were proudly offering to their father 
and mother the little presents they had 
made for them and reciting the verses they 
had learned for the occasion. The small 
presents were really most neatly made and 
Monsieur and Madame de Boisvallon 
were delighted with everything. After 
much praising and kissing the Colonel an- 
nounced that Pere Janvier had told him 
the presents for the children were all in the 
spare room. 

Pere Janvier is to the little people in 
this part of France the bringer of gifts, as 
are Father Christmas and Santa Claus to 
English-speaking children. Pere Janvier 
is full of fun, and apparently has lots of 
time at his disposal, for he exercises an 
immense amount of ingenuity in hiding 


NEW YEAR’S MORN 


11 


the presents in all the most unlikely places. 

The children, all but the baby ones, 
knew well enough who was the real Pere 
Janvier, but there was no end of amuse- 
ment in thus hunting for their New Year 
gifts, and for twenty minutes or so the 
room rang again and again with shrieks 
of delight and shouts of laughter as, from 
behind the curtains and furniture, under 
the bed, between the mattresses, and even 
from the top of the wardrobe, toy after 
toy was pulled out until the room seemed 
just full of them. 

Among many other things, Pierre, the 
eldest boy, had a splendid fortress fitted 
with a whole regiment of gallant little 
soldiers and tiny cannons that would go 
off with a pop. Viva had a doll’s stove 
that could really be lighted and on which 
one could cook several things at a time, 
and Solange was delighted with a doll’s 
cradle, an exact model of the quaint 
wooden ones that the peasants of Dau- 
phine use to rock their babies in. In fact 
each child had five or six presents, and 


n FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

they were so wild with delight that their 
father allowed them to calm dawn a little 
before showing them the most beautiful 
gift of all, the great event of the day, 
grandmamma’s gift to all her darlings. 

After trying to make the little ones 
guess what it could be, the Colonel opened 
the dressing-room door and displayed a 
lovely little full-rigged boat, with every 
detail of a real yacht, all the sails made to 
furl and unfurl ; a costly toy made by real 
sailors which had come all the way from 
Boulogne to be sailed on the more shel- 
tered parts of the Rhone. It had an an- 
chor, a capstan, and even a little lifebuoy 
on which, as well as on the yacht itself, 
was painted the ship’s name. La Gene- 
viva j grandmamma having called it after 
the elder girl, Genevieve, a beautiful child 
of four, better known under the name of 
Viva. 

The children fairly screamed with de- 
light for they had so longed for just such 
a yacht but had been told it was far too 
costly a toy for their parents to buy for 


NEW YEAR’S MORN 


13 


them. Their little next-door neighbor, 
Arthur, had a toy ship which they had 
much admired and envied until now, but 
this one left it entirely in the shade. 
Standing there on the floor it seemed to 
fill the whole dressing-room, and the mast 
reached up almost to the top of Papa’s 
head! 

“On half holidays, when it is fine and 
the Rhone is not too full, I will go down 
with you to the river and we will sail it 
there ; that is, if you have been good and 
have worked well all the week,” said the 
Colonel. 

“Oh! How lovely! Mayn’t we sail it 
to-day. Papa?” cried Pierre. 

“No,” said his father, “it would be quite 
impossible, for the river is full of blocks of 
floating ice which would break your pretty 
ship to pieces. But you have lots of other 
delightful things you can do to-day.” 

“To begin with,” said Madame de Bois- 
vallon with a smile, “I propose you go 
down and have breakfast, and after that 
we will all go to church. Even the little 


14 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


ones can go to Mass to-day, for I’m sure 
we all want to thank the good God for all 
the happiness He has sent us. Besides, 
we must ask Him to help us and bless us 
during this new year and offer him our 
good resolutions.” 

While the children are busy over their 
breakfast, I may as well introduce you to 
what Madame de Boisvallon lovingly calls 
‘‘ma nichee” (my nestful) . 

The elder boy, Pierre, is a clever, good 
tempered little fellow, rough and noisy, 
and fond of teasing, but very good hearted 
for all that, and perfectly fearless and 
straightforward. He is the plain one of 
the family but strong, well built, and with 
a pleasant open countenance. 

Bernard, the second boy, a graceful, 
poetic looking child, is a great contrast to 
his brother. He has soft dark eyes and 
long golden-brown curls that frame a 
beautiful sensitive face such as one sees in 
the portraits of child saints. Sweet and 
lovable as he is, though, Bernard is any- 
thing but a saint, as you will soon find out. 


NEW YEAR’S MORN 


15 


To begin with, he has any amount of pride 
and confidence in his own powers, and his 
father laughingly declares that he is a born 
anarchist, for he has a perfect horror of 
discipline or authority of any kind. He 
looks up at Pierre with great admiration 
and always endeavors to copy him in 
everything, which is not always easy, as 
Bernard is three years younger than his 
brother and much less strong physically. 

Next to him sits the flower of the family, 
bright merry Viva, a plump, rosy-cheeked 
little girl, with beautiful gray eyes, long 
dark lashes, and a perfect halo of fluffy 
fair hair. She is all smiles and dimples 
just now as she makes plans about the 
new toys with Solange, her pale-faced, 
dark-eyed little sister, who has not yet got 
over her indignation and chagrin at no 
longer being the baby. 

As for Paul, he is a fine, jolly baby, just 
six months old, as fair as Viva and with 
the bluest of blue eyes, and, of course, they 
all look upon him as the most wonderful 
baby in the world. 


16 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


A bonny nestful, truly, and the nest is 
worthy of its occupants. 

The Villa des Mimosas stands in a fine 
garden, cool and shady in summer and very 
charming with its wealth of flowers and its 
peach and apricot trees laden with fruit. 
The house is not far from the right bank 
of the river Rhone, which is surrounded by 
beautiful wooded hills from which one has 
a fine view of the distant mountains. The 
valley here is very narrow, and as the river 
makes a sharp bend a few miles further 
down, the great chain of the Cevennes 
seems to stretch right across it and close 
it in. 

The winter in this part of France is a 
short one, though rather severe, and the 
summer is intensely hot, so that the cool 
garden is much appreciated by old and 
young. 

In the middle of it is a large pond in 
which are quantities of gold and silver fish 
swimming around a pretty fountain in the 
center. In the summer there are large 


NEW YEAR’S MORN 


17 


water-lilies floating on the water and all 
around are ornamental water-plants, while 
a great weeping willow hanging over it 
keeps it fresh and cool. 

Indoors one of the most delightful 
places is Madame de Boisvallon’s boudoir, 
where the children go every day to have a 
little talk with their mother and learn their 
catechism and Bible history out of great 
illustrated books. 

The schoolroom, too, is a pleasant one, 
and the children thoroughly enjoy their 
lessons. Leading out of it is Miss Morris’ 
pretty room, where the children spend 
many happy recreation hours, for their 
governess always keeps plentiful supplies 
of games, paint boxes, and beads. In a 
tiny room leading out of this one is what 
they proudly call their Museum, a great 
cupboard containing collections of stamps, 
butterflies, beetles, dragon-flies, and dried 
flowers. 

At the back of the house is a second gar- 
den, one side of which is given up to the 


18 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


children’s pets : bantams, rabbits, pigeons, 
and guinea pigs. Then there is Carlo! 
But Carlo is too important to be disposed 
of in a few words, so you shall hear about 
him in another chapter. 


CHAPTER II 

CARLO 

A bout a year before my story begins 
Madame de Boisvallon looked into 
the schoolroom saying: “Miss Morris, will 
you allow the children to run down a few 
minutes and see what their father has just 
brought from the station. You must come, 
too, dear,” she added with a smile as she 
led the way down into the hall where the 
Colonel was bending over a good-sized 
hamper. 

The children all gave a cry of delight as 
they saw the dearest, drollest, roly-poly 
puppy, almost as broad as he was long. 
He was snow white, with black ears, a 
black patch on his back, and a beautiful 
wavy silky coat. 

“Oh, what a dear!” they exclaimed. 
“How soft he is, and how pretty ! Do you 


19 


so FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

think he is hungry, Papa?’’ they added, as 
the puppy whined plaintively. 

“Well,” answered the Colonel, “he is so 
tiny that I am half afraid that they have 
sent him away from his mother too soon, 
poor little chap. I only hope we’ll be able 
to rear him, for he is a very expensive 
puppy, and no wonder, for he has a pedi- 
gree as long as my arm and both his par- 
ents are prize dogs. We must try if he 
will lap milk. If not, we must get him a 
feeding bottle.” 

“Oh, what fun, Papa! Would one of 
Baby Paul’s bottles do?” asked Pierre. 

“I think that would be too big,” laughed 
the Colonel, “but anyhow we’ll try to get 
him to lap first.” So a saucerful of milk 
was brought and after some persuasion the 
little thing was induced to lap a little of it. 

“Now we must get a nice comfortable 
box for him and take him to the stables,” 
said Madame de Boisvallon. 

“The stables! Oh, poor little dear! 
Mayn’t we keep him in our nice warm 
nursery, Mamma?” 


CARLO 


SI 

“No, my dears,” answered their mother 
with a smile, “we really can not bring up 
a Newfoundland in the house, and, be- 
sides, the stables are not cold.” 

No, the stables were not cold, but the 
poor little doggie was so lonesome and 
miserable, for he had never been alone be- 
fore, that he cried and whined pitifully all 
that night and the next morning. 

After a time he managed to scramble 
not only out of his box but out of the stable, 
and wandered about everywhere, probably 
seeking for his mammy, poor baby. 

At last, in an outhouse, he found a dis- 
carded old toy horse which was very hard 
and unsympathetic; still it was covered 
with fur and poor little Carlo (as they had 
already named him) apparently found it 
some company. So he lay down close to 
it and whined himself to sleep. 

Monsieur de Boisvallon and the chil- 
dren had felt quite alarmed at not finding 
the puppy in the stables, and after much 
searching they discovered him in the shed. 

The kind-hearted Colonel was touched 


22 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


at the sight of the poor wee thing nestling 
against the old broken toy. 

“Poor little doggie!” he exclaimed. 
“Fancy his having tried to get some com- 
fort out of that old horse! I feel sorry 
for him, and think it is a shame they should 
have taken him from his mother so soon. 
I wonder what we could do to save it.” 

“Well, we can’t have it all over the 
house,” said Madame de Boisvallon, who 
had joined the group ; “but if Miss Morris 
would not mind taking him under her 
wing for a few weeks, it would be all right 
in her room because of its having a stair- 
way right down into the garden. The 
puppy need never come into the other part 
of the house.” 

“Oh, I should be delighted to have it! 
exclaimed Miss Morris, who was very fond 
of animals, and, stooping down, she took 
the puppy in her arms, where he nestled 
down in apparent delight, whining with 
pleasure. 

Carlo was never lonesome or sad after 
that, but thrived vigorously and became a 


CARLO 


delightful playmate for the children. He 
was the very merriest and most energetic 
of puppies and would send them all into 
fits of laughter by rolling over in the most 
ludicrous fashion in his attempts to run 
fast. 

Miss Morris trained him very carefully, 
and he learned to be very well behaved as 
a small puppy. After he grew a little 
bigger he was sent to the stables to sleep 
and made to understand that he was to be 
an outside dog, though a much loved one. 
About this time he developed two or three 
bad habits of which he had to be cured. 

To begin with, when he was about half 
grown he went through that period of bit- 
ing and tearing things which is so trying 
in most puppies. Woe to the person who' 
left anything lying about within his reach 
during that time! Pierre had forgotten 
his Latin grammar on the garden bench 
one afternoon and when, after searching 
the house over for it, he finally remem- 
bered where he had left it he found Carlo 
calmly and laboriously chewing it up I A 


24 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


friend’s rubbers which had been left at the 
door shared the same fate, so did a doll 
belonging to Solange, which the puppy 
had found on the lawn. 

Every time this happened Carlo re- 
ceived a thrashing, but it did not seem to 
cure him. At last one day Madame de 
Boisvallon was caught in a shower when 
far from home and borrowed a silk um- 
brella from a friend. On coming home, 
she left it in the umbrella stand in the hall, 
intending to send it back by a servant later 
on. An hour or so afterwards she looked 
out of a window and could not imagine 
what she saw on the lawn. It looked like 
a huge black bat with extended wings, and 
she almost fancied she saw it move. At 
last her curiosity was so aroused that she 
hastened out in spite of the damp and 
found that it was her friend’s umbrella ab- 
solutely torn to ribbons! For that mis- 
deed Carlo got a good sound whipping 
and was shut up in a disused stable with- 
out any dinner. Apparently he never for- 


CARLO 


S5 

got it, for it was the last time he ever dis- 
troyed anything. 

His second bad habit was that of run- 
ning after all sheep, donkeys, or other ani- 
mals that he thought he could have a romp 
with. I don’t think he intended any mis- 
chief, only thought of having a good game 
with them, but their owners did not always 
see it in that light, and for this also he had 
to be well punished. 

He was now allowed to go for walks 
with Miss Morris and the children, but as 
they were afraid of his getting lost or 
stolen they at first took him on a chain 
which Pierre generally held. He was a 
strong little lad, and Carlo generally 
walked very demurely before him, but if 
they had the misfortune to see any ani- 
mals ahead of them the dog would give 
such a bound forward that Pierre more 
than once fell flat on his face. Then after 
a few minutes Carlo would come tearing 
back and look at Pierre with an innocently 
inquiring expression as much as to say: 
“You don’t mean to tell me you fell down ! 


M FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

I just went to have a romp with those 
sheep, and wondered why you’d stayed be- 
hind.” 

But Miss Morris would scold him and 
give him two or three good taps with her 
sunshade and he would look very contrite 
for a little while, so that the children felt 
quite sorry for him. 

At last one day things came to a climax. 
They were all going up a steep, narrow 
path leading to one of the villages right 
up on the mountain and they came to a 
sharp bend round a great boulder of rock. 
Just as they were about to turn it they 
found themselves face to face with a peas- 
ant woman walking beside a donkey which 
was carrying great milk cans fastened on 
each side of him. As soon as Carlo saw 
the burro he went bounding up to him, 
barking and wagging his tail as much as 
to say: “Oh, so pleased to see you! Let’s 
have a little game !” 

Well! Had that poor donkey seen a 
roaring lion I don’t think it could have 
been more frightened. It suddenly turned 


CARLO 


ST 

tail, kicked up its heels, and ran back as 
hard as it could up the path. Carlo 
stopped, astonished for a few seconds, buf 
before Miss Morris had time to catch him 
he flew after the donkey, and the peasant 
woman tore after them, shrieking and 
yelling most uncomplimentary epithets to 
both the animals, while Miss Morris and 
the children rushed after Carlo screaming 
to him to come back. All this time the 
cans clattered up and down, splashing the 
milk to right and left as the animals 
rushed hither and thither. Altogether, it 
was an exciting and trying chase for all 
parties, and when Miss Morris and Pierre 
Anally caught Carlo they had great 
trouble in pacifying the woman and she 
had still more trouble in inducing her don- 
key to go past the dog, who was struggling 
to get free. 

Now it happened that on that very 
morning Miss Morris had brought with 
her a good stout riding-whip, determined 
to punish Carlo if he misbehaved himself, 
and she gave him the soundest whipping 


SB FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

he ever got from her. Not only that, but 
as soon as he got home he received a second 
one from his master and was shut up for 
the rest of the day. Once more he under- 
stood the lesson and henceforth there was 
not a better behaved or more obedient dog 
than the good Carlo. 

When he was full grown he was a truly 
splendid animal with a most magnificent 
head and beautiful, expressive eyes. His 
long curly coat was as soft as silk and his 
tail like a great waving plume. He was 
very affectionate and a great favorite with 
all the household. He was especially fond 
of the baby, and would lie by it and guard 
it as they played in the garden. Little 
Paul would often amuse himself trying to 
hid small toys and things in Carlo’s curly 
coat, and the good dog would occasionally 
look round inquiringly as if to ask the 
child what he was trying to do. 

In the summer poor Carlo felt the heat 
so much that they generally had his beauti- 
ful coat cut off, all but the hair about his 
head and his fine feathery tail. Then, 


CARLO 


29 


when they all went out for walks, two of 
the children would often walk on either 
side of him, fanning him with branches of 
trees to keep off the flies which bothered 
him very much while his coat was so short. 
It was fun to see the solemn and self-satis- 
fied expression of the dog, who seemed to 
think he was only getting his due in the 
way of attentions. His coat soon grew 
again though, and was magnificent by the 
time winter came. 

From puppyhood Carlo loved to go 
swimming in the river and was always 
eager for his friends to throw sticks out for 
him to fetch. He also delighted in the 
snow, rolled in it and ate it with evident 
pleasure. 

One day a circus came to the town and 
all the children were taken to see it. They 
were greatly delighted with the feats they 
saw the animals perform. For some time 
after this poor Carlo had rather a bad time 
of it, for Pierre undertook to try and make 
him perform the tricks he had seen the 
lions and tigers do and the dog’s bored and 


30 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


puzzled expression was amusing to see. 
After a time, to Carlo’s infinite relief, 
Pierre was taken with some new fancy and 
gave up the idea of training the dog for 
circus work. 

No one, I think, enjoyed the long walks 
and rambles on the mountains better than 
Carlo, who delighted in rushing about in 
the cool streams and had no difficulty in 
scrambling up the steepest places. Still, 
there was one thing that puzzled and ex- 
asperated him not a little. When any- 
thing caused him to bark there was an- 
other insolent dog that always answered 
him back! indeed, in some parts of the 
mountain it answered several times 1 This 
was not to be borne, and Carlo was deter- 
mined to have the last word and barked 
and barked till Miss Morris had to drag 
him away by the collar and the children 
would laugh and pat him and assure him 
it was nothing but the echo. Echo in- 
deed! such a name for a dog! and why 
should that dog be allowed to answer him 
mockingly even if he did have a ridiculous 


CARLO 


31 


name ? Carlo felt distinctly aggrieved and 
only wished he could meet him face to 
face ; then he would teach Mr. Echo better 


manners. 


CHAPTER III 

AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 

O NE fine Thursday afternoon in early 
spring the Colonel called the chil- 
dren and told them that as the Rhone was 
no longer swollen with the melting snows 
from the mountains he thought it would 
be quite safe for them to come with him 
and sail La Geneviva, 

The children greeted this announce- 
ment with shouts of joy, and in a very 
short time all the family were gathered 
round the yacht. She was so large that it 
was almost more than the Colonel could 
do to carry her, and he promised the boys 
he would have a little truck made on which 
they could wheel her down to the water’s 
edge. For this time the Colonel and Miss 
Morris carried her between them and 
Madame de Boisvallon followed with the 
baby in her arms, while all the other chil- 
dren rushed around in great excitement. 
32 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 33 


At last they reached the river’s brink 
close to the breakwater. The currents 
are very dangerous on this side of the 
river and the breakwaters, which are very 
ancient, perhaps dating from the Roman 
occupation of the country, extend for sev- 
eral miles. There is a great wall built of 
huge uneven rocks of granite, and this 
runs parallel with the bank at about one- 
third of the way across the stream. Five 
other walls running out from the shore 
toward it form four square pools, enclosed 
but for a narrow opening which allows the 
water to flow from one to the other. 

The de Boisvallons began by sailing La 
Geneviva in these pools, but they did not 
And this very satisfactory, as it obliged the 
Colonel and Pierre to do so much running 
about on the rocks of the breakwater in 
order to prevent the ship from striking 
against them. Monsieur de Boisvallon, 
therefore, hired a large rowboat into which 
the whole party was soon packed, and thus 
they were able to sail their boat in the open 
river and follow her up so that she should 


34 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


not be carried over a small waterfall a 
few miles further down the stream, on the 
same side of the river as the breakwater. 

The children enjoyed this row on the 
great broad river immensely, and indeed 
the views one gets all down this part of the 
Rhone are among the most beautiful in 
Europe. As for La Geneviva, she looked 
perfectly lovely as, with all sails up, she 
danced proudly on the wavelets of the 
stream and flew before the breeze like 
some beautiful white- winged seabird. 

The children thought they had never 
had such a delightful half -holiday, and 
everything would have gone off perfectly 
if, just as they were about to land, little 
jealous Solange, in her eagerness to keep 
by her mother, had not tried to push by 
Viva. In doing this she stepped too near 
the edge of the boat and fell splash into 
the water. Fortunately, Miss Morris was 
able to grasp her by her skirts before the 
current bore her away, and she was soon 
pulled out of the water and swiftly carried 
home and cared for. Still, this rather 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 


35 


marred the pleasure of the day and made 
their mother nervous about trusting the 
younger ones out in a boat. 

Madame de Boisvallon had a very dis- 
tant cousin, the Countess de Floquin, 
who had been her very dearest girl friend 
and who had a little girl just Pierre’s age. 

This only child, destined to be a great 
heiress, lived with her mother and grand- 
parents in a magnificent chateau in one 
of the most beautiful parts of Auvergne, 
and the de Boisvallons went there every 
year to spend a month or two and often in- 
vited the Countess and her little daughter, 
Yvonne, to come and stay with them in 
Dauphine. 

Pierre and Yvonne had always been the 
greatest chums and declared solemnly that 
they would be married as soon as possible. 
In preparation for that event they had, 
during the last summer holidays, built in 
the Countess’ park a wretched little hut 
of planks and branches which they 
proudly designated as “our home.” By it 
they had a piece of ground, honored by the 


36 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


name of the kitchen garden, in which were 
a few sickly looking cabbages, some rad- 
ishes run to seed and enough parsley to 
supply a good-sized hotel. 

Yvonne begged the seed from the gard- 
ener and sold the parsley to the cook, and 
the money thus obtained “by selling the 
produce of our garden,” as Yvonne 
pompously put it, was to supply their 
future income. 

It was now nearly five months since the 
children had seen Yvonne or their own 
grandmother and dear bright Aunt Rita, 
who lived at no great distance from the 
de Floquins. Pierre wrote to Yvonne 
fairly often and she occasionally an- 
swered him, but though very sweet and 
charming in other ways, she was a lazy 
little puss and found her lessons more than 
sufficient occupation. 

In truth, she really was made to work 
pretty hard, for the Countess was eager 
that her child should not be considered less 
clever than Pierre, and she had up to the 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 3T 


present time managed to make her keep 
up with him in all his studies. 

Petted and almost idolized though she 
was, poor Yvonne did not have a very 
lively time of it, for she had no other chil- 
dren or young people to play with in her 
great chateau home, and her grandparents 
and widowed mother were her only com- 
panions. She was always longing, there- 
fore, to be with the de Boisvallons, whose 
happy lives she much envied. 

One hot day in late April the children 
had just returned from a long walk and 
were cooling themselves off under the 
bower where their mother sat at work. 
This corridor-shaped bower was made of 
acacia trees which met overhead. They 
were trained over iron hoops and, thanks 
to constant clipping, their foliage was so 
dense as to make an impenetrable shade, 
which was very grateful during the long 
hot summer. 

All of a sudden, while the children were 
in the midst of giving an eager description 
of the events of their walk, they heard a 


S8 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

carriage drive up to the garden gate and 
Pierre, who had run to peep, gave a shout 
of triumphant delight, exclaiming: 

“Oh, Mamma! it is Yvonne and Aunt 
Rita! Come, come quick!’’ 

Madame de Boisvallon dropped her 
work with an exclamation of surprise, and 
they all ran to the gate and fell into the 
arms of the Countess, Aunt Rita, and 
Yvonne. 

“A thousand times welcome! How did 
you come? Why didn’t you write?” ex- 
claimed Madame de Boisvallon. “I 
thought you had gone off to Switzerland, 
Claire,” she added, addressing the 
Countess. 

“Well, we’re on the way to it,” an- 
swered Madame de Floquin with her quiet 
smile. “But all of a sudden we thought 
we’d make a detour and come to surprise 
you.” 

“It is indeed a delightful surprise, and 
I hope you will be able to stay a long time. 
How comes Rita to be with you?” in- 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 39 


quired Madame de Boisvallon, leading the 
way to the house. 

“Well, I persuaded your mother to lend 
me Rita for my trip to Switzerland. It 
will make it far more delightful for me, 
and less dull for my Yvonne, who finds me 
a poor playmate,” added the Countess 
with a little sigh. 

A widow after only five years of happy 
married life, the Countess had never yet 
been able to shake off the gloom of her 
life-long sorrow, and she was conscious 
that this was bad for the child; yet she had 
not the courage to become her own bright 
self once more. 

Meanwhile Pierre had taken possession 
of Yvonne and they were wandering in 
the garden together while he questioned 
her eagerly about their “house and gar- 
den.” 

“Well,” said Yvonne, rather evasively, 
“the house was rather damaged during the 
winter and I think you’ll have some work 
to do on it when you come in the holidays.” 

“Couldn’t you have repaired it?” asked 


40 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


Pierre anxiously. “A stitch in time saves 
nine, you know.” 

“Oh, well! I think it’s more a man’s 
work than a woman’s,” answered Yvonne 
with some dignity. “I can help you per- 
haps when you do it!” 

“Oh, yes! By looking on, I expect,” 
said Pierre with a laugh, for he knew that 
was generally the kind of help Yvonne 
liked best to give. “Well, what about the 
garden?” 

“Well, the cabbages have died, and the 
radishes I sowed never came up.” 

“And the parsley?” 

“The parsley? Oh, Pierre! Don’t you 
think we ought to go with the others? See, 
there is poor Bernard looking for us,” 
exclaimed Yvonne, anxious to change the 
conversation. 

The others now joined them and they 
were all chatting eagerly when Pierre ex- 
claimed : 

“I’ll tell you what, Yvonne. I’ve at 
last got ahead of you in my studies. I’m 
learning Latin now.” 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 


41 


‘‘Learning Latin!” answered Yvonne 
aghast, for she had awful visions of hav- 
ing yet another study piled on to all the 
rest. “Well, anyhow you are not learning 
Latin, Bernard,” she added. 

“I — learning Latin?” exclaimed the 
vain little man. “Oh, there’s no need — 
I know it already.” 

“You — know Latin!” fairly gasped 
Yvonne, feeling she was indeed woefully 
behind, to be thus outstripped by a boy 
three years younger than herself. It was 
bad enough that the only foreign language 
she could speak was German, whereas her 
cousins spoke both German and English 
as well as they did French. 

“When and where did you learn Latin, 
Bernard,” asked the laughing voice of 
Aunt Rita, who had just come out to look 
for the children. 

“Oh, Miss Morris taught me, or rather 
she taught Pierre, and I learned,” an- 
swered he unabashed. 

“And, pray, what do you know of it?” 
asked his aunt, much amused. 


4^ FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

“Oh, I know dominus, the lord; ancilla, 
the handmaiden ; rosa, the rose ; and nasus, 
the nose; so there!” exclaimed Bernard 
triumphantly. 

Yvonne was deeply impressed. Pierre 
said nothing though his eyes twinkled mis- 
chievously, and Aunt Rita ran indoors to 
tell the elders the good story about Ber- 
nard’s Latin. 

A few minutes later, however, she called 
to the children to come up and see what 
she had brought them — and somehow no 
one ever seemed to know so exactly what 
each child wanted as did dear Aunt Rita. 
To be sure, she was great friends with 
Miss Morris and perhaps the latter helped 
her with suggestions. 

This time she had a splendid, though 
harmless, double-barrelled gun for Pierre, 
and a most exciting book for Bernard. 
For each of the two little girls she had 
brought a fine doll. Viva’s was a real 
beauty with blue eyes and masses of fair 
hair, and it was charmingly dressed in pale 
pink clothes that could really be taken 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 4B 


off and put on. The little girl was wild 
with delight, for she was immensely fond 
of her dolls, and those that had survived 
such serious accidents as a broken head 
and the loss of a limb or two were in a very 
dreary condition; therefore, the new one 
was doubly precious. She named her 
“Esmeralda,” and the next day they had 
a grand christening party under the su- 
perintendence of Aunt Rita. 

It was quite touching to see the happi- 
ness of Yvonne, who reveled, as only an 
habitually lonely child can do, in the com- 
panionship of her cousins. She entreated 
her mother to put off her visit to Switzer- 
land and spend her holiday at Vienna. 
What did Yvonne care for mountains, 
glaciers, and beautiful scenery? She could 
not make companions of them. They 
would be very enjoyable if she had some 
child friend to share the pleasure with her. 
But alone! 

“If you must go to Switzerland, 
Mamma, couldn’t you leave me here with 
my cousins,” Yvonne pleaded. “I know 


U FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

Aunt Therese wouldn’t mind having me.” 

But her mother would not hear of it ; in 
fact, it was specially for Yvonne’s health 
that she had undertaken this trip to the 
mountains. 

Yvonne went weeping to Pierre, who 
tried to cheer her up. 

“You’ll have your mother and Aunt 
Rita,” he said encouragingly. 

“Yes, but mother never plays, and of 
course Aunt Rita will want to be with her 
most of the time,” said the little girl 
plaintively. 

“It will be lovely to see those beautiful 
mountains and you can make a collection 
of the Alpine flowers for our museum, and 
you know the summer is not far off and 
then we’ll all be together a long time.” 

But the summer did seem far off to the 
little girl, and she cried and fretted so the 
day before their departure that she became 
quite feverish and her mother was terribly 
distressed. 

All of a sudden Aunt Rita had a bright 
idea. 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 45 

“Why don’t you get my sister to let us 
take Pierre along with us,” she said to the 
Countess. “Yvonne would have a com- 
panion, I could look after their lessons and 
Yvonne would not find her’s so dull if she 
had the emulation of trying to keep up 
with Pierre.” 

The de Boisvallons were with difficulty 
persuaded to agree to this plan, for they 
had very strict notions as to the necessity 
of their boys keeping steadily to their 
studies. Still, they finally yielded when 
Aunt Rita, who was a student herself and 
had taken all her diplomas, gave her word 
for it that Pierre should get through as 
much work as if he were at home. 

“Remember though, Pierre,” said his 
father, “that if you do not pass a satis- 
factory examination with a college pro- 
fessor on your return you will have to 
work during the summer holidays.” 

So it was agreed, and both Pierre and 
Yvonne were transported with joy. As 
for Madame de Boisvallon and Miss Mor- 
ris, they had a very strenuous time of it 


46 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


to get Pierre’s things all ready and packed 
at so short a notice. 

The next morning, however, all was 
ready and it was a very merry party of 
travelers who waved their good-by as they 
drove off to the station while the others 
looked after them rather enviously. 

“Be good, Pierre!” cried his mother. 
“Don’t forget to say your prayers, write 
to me often, be obedient to Aunt Claire 
and Aunt Rita, and don’t break your neck 
in a precipice,” she added with a laugh as 
she blew him a kiss. 

Oh, what a delightful journey it was, 
and what a dream of happiness were those 
eight weeks at Zermatt, especially to the 
two children. 

The quaintness and novelty of the peas- 
ant life around them, the majestic beauty 
of the incomparable snow-covered Matter- 
horn, the stupendous wonders of the great 
glacier, filled them with an awe and de- 
light they could not even understand, but 
which was none the less intense. 

Then their imaginative natures were 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 


47 


charmed with all the weird and wild 
legends of spirits and gnomes that were re- 
lated to them by the old peasant woman 
their aunt had hired as maid for them. 
They loved to think they could hear the 
moaning of the mountain spirits on stormy 
nights when the wind blew and they were 
startled every now and again by the dis- 
tant roaring of some avalanche in the 
mountains, and Pierre was especially over- 
joyed to think what perfectly glorious 
fairy tales he would be able to tell Bernard 
when he returned home. 

Another great pleasure was collecting 
the wild-flowers which are so varied and 
beautiful in these regions. Aunt Rita had 
suggested their making an album contain- 
ing specimens of every variety and taking 
it home to Miss Morris. Another album 
fllled with photographs, each surrounded 
by an exquisite frame of the wild-flowers 
found in that particular spot, was to be 
their present to their mother. 

Of course. Aunt Rita had to do most 
of the arranging and sticking of the photos 


48 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


and flowers, but the children took immense 
interest in collecting them, and the press- 
ing, naming, and preparing of them was 
a pleasant occupation on wet days when 
they could not go out. 

One day, as it was beautifully fine after 
two days of rain. Aunt Rita and the maid 
took the two children for a long walk in 
the mountains. They had been especially 
warned not to go too near the edge of the 
precipices for when the soil has been sod- 
dened by rain it is apt to crumble under 
one’s feet. 

The children had been very good and 
obedient until then, and Aunt Rita was 
walking ahead much interested in one of 
the mountain legends which old Lisbeth 
was telling her in her rather queer French. 

Just then Pierre saw some very fine 
edelweiss right below the edge of the preci- 
pice and exclaimed: 

“Look, Yvonne! Did you ever see such 
beauties? I must get some ta send to 
Mamma in my letter this evening.” 

“Don’t go too — ” began Yvonne, but 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 49 


before she could finish her sentence the soil 
had crumbled under Pierre’s feet and with 
a wild shriek of terror from both he 
plunged headlong into the precipice. 

Aunt Rita had turned round at the 
sound and felt as if she would die of fright 
and despair when she saw the child dis- 
appear. 

Running back to the spot she went as 
near as she dared and lying fiat on her face 
looked over the edge of the chasm. 

There, to her intense relief, she saw 
Pierre but a short way down, clinging for 
dear life to a stout woody shrub which had 
stopped his fall. 

“Don’t move! Don’t struggle!” cried 
his aunt, trying to make her voice steady 
and calm. “There is no danger if you keep 
still, Pierre.” Then she said to Yvonne: 
“Run your fastest to the hotel and tell 
them to come with ropes, but do not alarm 
your mother. Don’t be frightened, 
Pierre,” she continued in a calm voice. 
“Keep very still and pray to our Lady to 
protect you. Promise her something if 


50 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


you are saved through her intercession.” 

Then the two waited in agonized sus- 
pense, the child clinging to the bush which 
supported him and almost fearing to 
breathe, as he knew that any movement of 
his might send him crashing down to the 
bottom of the abyss. 

Above him, his aunt felt as if each sec- 
ond were an age of misery and her parched 
lips could hardly murmur her words of 
prayer, while old Lisbeth, who had fallen 
on her knees, ceaselessly poured out her 
Hail Marys. 

In a shorter time than one could have 
thought possible help came from the hotel. 
A man was let down, put a rope around 
Pierre, and a few minutes later, to their 
inexpressible relief, the little lad was 
standing safe and sound on the road once 
more. 

Yvonne threw herself upon his neck, 
kissing him and sobbing for joy, while 
Aunt Rita, scarcely less moved, knelt by 
him and felt him all over to ascertain that 
he had no bones broken. Finding him com- 


AN UNEXPECTED TREAT 


51 


paratively unhurt, she begged all those 
present not to say a word to any one about 
the occurrence. 

She thought it best that neither the 
Countess nor the de Boisvallons should 
hear of the adventure until their return 
to France. The children, she felt sure, 
would be doubly careful after this and it 
seemed to her needless to give either of the 
mothers the constant fear of another acci- 
dent. 

Pierre had but a few scratches and 
bruises which were easily accounted for 
as he was such a restless little fellow that 
he often had rather bad knocks and 
tumbles. 

Aunt Rita proved perfectly right as to 
the children’s being prudent hencefor- 
ward, and the remainder of their visit at 
the foot of the great mountains passed 
without the slightest mishap. 

Every day after this the two children 
could be seen in the early morning walk- 
ing up and down the mountain road near 
the hotel and reciting their rosary in ful- 


52 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


filment of a promise Pierre had made to 
Our Lady while still clinging to his bush. 

How sorry they felt when their glorious 
trip was over and they were obliged to 
leave beautiful Zermatt! Pierre was a 
little consoled by the thought of seeing his 
mother and the other dear ones at home 
once more, but Yvonne felt as if these had 
been two months of Paradise, and her only 
consolation was in the thought that the 
summer holidays would so soon bring the 
de Boisvallons into her neighborhood. 


CHAPTER IV 

ABSALOM 

W HILE Pierre was away Bernard 
found it rather lonely and dull, and 
was consequently troublesome. 

One day when Madame de Boisvallon 
and Miss Morris were busy indoors the 
children were in the garden under the care 
of Lena, who was sitting at needlework 
close to the great basket where Baby Paul 
was toddling about. The baby was trying 
to hit his faithful Carlo on the head with 
the woolly lamb Aunt Rita had brought 
him, and the good dog evidently looked 
upon these blows as caresses, though per- 
haps rather rough ones. 

After a time Paul grew rather fretful; 
not even Carlo’s presence could pacify 
him, and Lena found it was time to give 
him his bottle, so took him indoors while 
she prepared his milk. 

She left Solange playing with a heap 
53 


54 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


of sand under the sycamore trees, and 
Carlo went gravely to lie down by the child 
as if to take care of her. 

Meanwhile Viva was sitting on a little 
chair in the acacia, bower. She was softly 
singing to her beloved Esmeralda as she 
rocked her to and fro and gazed lovingly 
at her rosy face and masses of curly flaxen 
hair. 

Now I’m sorry to say Bernard was not 
in a good temper that afternoon. He had 
fallen into disgrace over his lessons that 
day, had been punished for holding him- 
self badly at table during luncheon, and 
he felt sore against the world in general. 
He had exasperated Lena not a little, and 
contributed to make Paul cross, and now 
that they were gone, he began pulling 
Carlo’s tail and ears until the latter 
growled angrily and, shaking himself free, 
walked away to the stables. Then he 
teased Solange until she ran indoors cry- 
ing for Lena. 

Thinking that the latter would probably 
come out and scold or punish him, Ber- 


ABSALOM 


55 


nard prudently went upstairs, and after a 
little while came back to the garden armed 
with his bow and arrows. He soon be- 
came tired even of these, so he made his 
way to where he could see Viva rocking 
her doll to sleep under the trees. 

“What do you suppose you are doing 
there, singing to that idiotic doll as if it 
could hear you,” he said crossly. “I can’t 
think how girls can be so silly as to kiss and 
cuddle a stupid putty-faced think like 
that, with glass beads for eyes and a hor- 
rid snub nose.” 

Viva’s eyes flashed and she looked dag- 
gers at Bernard. 

“She isn’t idiotic or putty-faced, and 
her nose isn’t snub!” she answerd indig- 
nantly. “She is a dear, sweet baby, and 
she has the loveliest hair!” 

“Yes, her hair would make a very good 
tail for Paul’s horse that has lost his. I’ve 
a great mind to take it for that or — she 
would do very well for Absalom, hanging 
to a tree by the hair of her head.” 


56 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


Viva sprang up clasping her doll in her 
arms. 

“You shan’t touch my dolly!” she cried 
passionately. 

“Shan’t I though,” said Bernard. “I’m 
much stronger than you are and it’s no 
good saying shan’t to me,” and before 
Viva knew what he was doing he had 
snatched her doll out of her arms and was 
climbing up a tree with it. 

Viva ran shrieking toward the house to 
ask for help from her mother or Lena, but 
a jeering exclamation from Bernard made 
her look back and there, hanging to one 
of the boughs by her beautiful flaxen hair 
was poor Esmeralda. 

“Now,” said Bernard, sliding down the 
trunk of the tree and taking up his bow 
and arrow, “she is just like Absalom and 
I shall be Joab and shoot her with my 
arrow.” 

Viva ran back toward him crying, be- 
seeching, threatening. “Oh, no 1 Oh, no !” 
she sobbed, “you shan’t shoot my dear 
dolly! Mamma! Lena!” she screamed. 


ABSALOM 


57 


and flung herself upon her brother to try 
to prevent him from shooting. He was 
too quick for her, however, and sent an 
arrow, which, alas! was only too well 
aimed, for it struck the doll in the face and 
knocked out one of her eyes. 

Wild with grief and rage. Viva caught 
hold of her brother’s arm to prevent him 
from shooting again and, feeling that he 
was going to shake her off, bit him so hard 
that her two rows of strong white teeth 
were marked on his arm through the sleeve 
of his sailor jacket. Bernard yeMed and 
boxed his sister’s ears vigorously, and 
just at that moment their mother stood 
before them looking stern and indignant. 

“Children,” she exclaimed, “what does 
this mean? Can this be my little boy and 
girl fighting like cat and dog?” 

Bernard stopped howling and hung his 
head. Viva went on sobbing piteously. 

“What has happened, Bernard?” said 
his mother. 

“Viva bit me,” cried Bernard, begin- 
ning to cry aloud again. 


58 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


‘‘He made my dolly an Ab — ab — absa- 
lom!” sobbed Viva, “and knocked her eye 
out!” and Mamma, following Viva’s de- 
spairing glance, looked up at the poor 
wounded doll. 

“Bernard,” she said indignantly, “it 
would have been far more honorable for 
a big boy like you to tell me the whole 
story instead of beginning by telling tales 
of your little sister. Go and fetch that 
doll down immediately.” 

Bernard did so, and Madame de Bois- 
vallon sat down on the bench with the in- 
jured dolly lying on her knee and the two 
culprits standing before her. Then she 
made them relate the whole story. 

“Viva,” she said severely, “it’s not the 
first time I’ve had to scold you for biting! 
it is imworthy of a little girl — not even a 
good dog would do such a thing. Tell 
me! Did you ever see Carlo bite any 
one?” 

“No,” answered Viva, hanging her head 
while the great tears rolled down her 
cheeks. 


ABSALOM 


59 


“Well,” said Madame de Boisvallon, “if 
it is only a very bad ill-bred dog that bites 
what can I think of a little girl that does 
such a thing?” Viva only sobbed. “Look 
at Bernard’s arm!” continued her mother, 
pulling up the boy’s sleeve and showing 
the mark of the angry bite. 

Viva sobbed more than ever and Ber- 
nard put on the air of an innocent and 
rather triumphant martyr. 

“You need not think, Bernard,” went 
on his mother sharply, “that I think Viva 
the most to blame. It was you who began 
it all, you who tried to vent your ill-temper 
by teasing and grieving your little sister 
when she was playing quietly by herself 
and not interfering with you in any way. 
I know very well how naughty you have 
been all day, how troublesome with Lena 
while getting up, and with Miss Morris at 
lessons. I shall punish Viva for biting, 
because I mean to cure her of that bad 
habit, but I am far more displeased with 
you. 

Bernard looked crestfallen. 


60 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


‘‘Give me your arm, Viva,” said her 
mother, and Viva held out such a plump 
dimpled one that Madame de Boisvallon 
found it very hard to hurt it. Still she 
bent down and bit it hard enough to make 
the little girl cry more dismally than ever. 

“Now Bernard,” continued his mother, 
“bring me your bow and arrows.” 

Bernard brought them and handed them 
to her hesitatingly, with a beseeching look. 
Madame de Boisvallon took them and 
made as if she were going to break them 
across her knee. 

“Oh, Mamma, don’t! Don’t!” he cried, 
flinging his arms about her neck; “my 
beautiful bow that Miss Morris brought 
me all the way from England !” 

His mother hesitated. “You see now,” 
she said, “how pleasant it is to have one’s 
toys spoiled. If I don’t break it it is be- 
cause I don’t wish to grieve kind Miss 
Morris who had such pleasure in bringing 
it over for you. Yet you deserve it! 
Viva, shall I break Bernard’s bow?” 

“Oh, no, please don’t, Mamma,” said 


ABSALOM 


61 


the little one quickly. ‘‘Bernard is so fond 
of his bow and arrows.’* 

The mother drew the child to her and 
kissed her. “But he broke your doll!” she 
continued. 

Viva burst into fresh weeping and bend- 
ing down kissed and cried over her dis- 
figured darling. 

“Don’t cry, Viva,” said her mother, who 
felt sorry for her little girl’s grief. “I 
promise you that by to-morrow your doll 
will be prettier than ever.” Viva’s face 
brightened. 

“Bernard,” continued Madame de Bois- 
vallon, “I think you have been saving up 
your money to buy a double-barrelled gun 
like Pierre’s?” 

“Yes,” answered he in a low voice. 

“How much have you?” 

“Two francs, four sous, two centimes,” 
answered the boy. 

Those two centimes nearly made his 
mother relent, for she knew how long and 
carefully he had been saving up his money, 
how hard he had worked to earn it, cent by 


62 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


cent, and how near he now was to the de- 
sired sum. He had been troublesome 
though, of late, and she was determined to 
conquer his increasingly bad temper; so 
although it made her heart ache she said : 

“That will hardly be sufficient for the 
mending of Viva’s doll, but I will pay the 
rest of the doctor’s bill. Go and get your 
money.” 

Bernard went sobbing upstairs and 
came back with his savings-box in his hand 
shedding bitter tears over it. 

“I’m sorry to have to do this, my dear, 
but I hope it will give you a lesson,” said 
his mother as she carefully emptied the 
box and gave it back to him, leaving in it 
nothing but the two centimes. “ ‘Who 
breaks, pays!’ Perhaps you will remem- 
ber that next time you feel inclined to spoil 
your brother’s or sister’s things. Now 
kiss each other, dears, and be friends, and 
never let me find you again fighting like 
two little savages.” 

Viva kissed her brother tenderly for she 
was very remorseful for having bitten him 


ABSALOM 


63 


and felt sorry he had lost his money. 
Bernard’s kiss was a very cold and unwill- 
ing one, however, for he still felt cross and 
sore against every one, and it was a very 
ill-tempered little boy who went back to 
lessons that afternoon. 

Just as they were about to rise from 
dinner Madame de Boisvallon said sud- 
denly, turning toward Viva, who sat de- 
murely by her side. 

“You can’t think what your little 
daughter did to-day, Henri!” 

Viva crimsoned up to the roots of her 
hair and her eyes filled with tears. 

“What! Is it possible she’s been 
naughty?” said her father trying to put 
some severity into his voice. “Tell Papa 
what you did. Viva,” continued her 
mother, and with a sob Viva said, looking 
up into her father’s face with such a plead- 
ing expression that I think even an ogre 
would have been touched: 

“I — bit him!” 

“Him, whom do you mean?” 

“Bernard,” sobbed Viva. 


64i 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


“Well,” said the Colonel, “that’s a fine 
thing for Papa to hear — is my little girl 
going to turn into a mad dog, I wonder? 
And must I buy a muzzle for her to- 
morrow, when I get a new one for Carlo 
to wear when he goes into town?” 

Viva’s head bent lower and lower and 
her tears fell fast. 

“I must say,” said her mother, “that she 
had great provocation,” and she related 
the whole story. The Colonel turned an- 
grily toward Bernard: 

“So I’ve got a bad-tempered little cow- 
ard for a son, have I?” he said sternly. 
Bernard’s face flushed crimson. 

“A coward! Papal” he exclaimed. 

“Yes,” said his father, “a boy must in- 
deed be a coward who deliberately gives 
pain to one much smaller and weaker than 
himself.” The Colonel’s face and voice 
were so full of anger that Bernard fairly 
quailed. 

'‘I — I only did it for fun,” he stam- 
mered. 

“Oh, you call it fun, do you? And if 


ABSALOM 


65 


I gave you a cut with my riding whip and 
said I only did it for fun, what would you 
think of that?” 

Bernard burst out crying. “Stop!” said 
the Colonel, “that never mends matters. I 
am not going to strike you this time, but 
mind — next time I hear of your bullying 
and teasing the little ones I’ll whip you. 
I’m not going to have boys who are so un- 
gentlemanly as to torment and strike lit- 
tle girls.” 

“She bit me,” sobbed Bernard. 

“In her attempt to defend the doll she is 
fond of,” said his father, “you maddened 
her into doing it, struck her in return, and 
now try to get pitied for having been bit- 
ten. But you’ll get no pity from me; I 
am very much displeased with you. To- 
morrow I shall drive the new pony and I 
was going to ask Miss Morris to give you 
a half holiday so that I might take you 
with me, but now I shall take no one, as 
Pierre is away. I don’t want cowards 
with me.” So saying, the Colonel pushed 
back his chair and they all went out into 


66 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


the garden, all but Bernard, who ran up 
to sit in his own room and brood over his 
anger and humiliation. 

‘T have lost all my money,” he kept say- 
ing to himself, “so what was the good of 
working hard for so long to earn it, and 
I shall have no half holiday and Papa has 
called me a coward ! And it’s all the fault 
of that wretched doll — I wish I could 
smash it altogether — and of that little 
Viva who howls for nothing and bites like 
a dog. I can’t bear her. She is a horrid 
little thing. I hate her ! I can’t think why 
Papa and Mamma spoil her so, just be- 
cause she’s a girl. It isn’t fair!” And he 
felt more and more angry and rebellious. 

J ust then he heard a sturdy little patter- 
ing step coming quickly up the stairs and 
Viva burst into the room, her face all over 
smiles and dimples and a fine apricot in 
her hand. 

“I thought you must be here,” she cried 
eagerly. “See, Bernard, what a lovely 
apricot Papa gave me and I’ve brought it 
to you.” 


ABSALOM 


67 


‘'He gave it to you for me?” inquired 
Bernard crossly. 

Viva’s face fell at the sight of his angry 
frown and in a half frightened voice she 
answered, “No-o, for — me!” 

“Then I don’t want your nasty apri- 
cot,” said her brother angrily. 

Poor Viva’s lip trembled. “I — I 
thought you would like it,” she said with 
a sob ; “that’s why I kept it for you,” and 
she burst into tears. 

Bernard’s heart smote him and he felt 
how ungrateful he had been. He flung his 
arms about his little sister’s neck and 
kissed her saying, “Don’t cry. Viva, I 
didn’t mean it, darling little sister, and 
you were a dear to bring me the fruit. I 
am so fond of apricots.” 

Viva soon smiled again, as she handed 
it to him saying: “I knew you liked them, 
that’s why I brought it.” 

“But you must eat half of it with me,” 
said Bernard, “then it will be much nicer.” 

So they sat down side by side and ate 
their apricot, and Bernard felt very re- 


68 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


morseful when he remembered all the un- 
kind thoughts he had had about his sister 
and her doll. Soon afterward Miss Mor- 
ris came up to see what had become of 
them and advised them to go down and 
say good-night and get a kiss from their 
father and mother before going to bed. 

When Bernard was tucked in bed that 
night his mother came and sat by him and 
they had a serious talk over the events of 
the day. She made him understand how 
all his supposed ‘‘misfortunes” had been 
his own fault from beginning to end, and 
he fell asleep saying to himself: “Oh, if 
I could only wake up to-morrow morning 
and find this all a dream, and begin to-day 
all over again, how good I would bel” 


CHAPTER V 

THE GATE OF HEAVEN 

V iva was sitting on her little low stool 
in the nursery, working at a most 
extraordinarily shaped garment for Es- 
meralda, which she had cut out her very 
own self and which was, in truth, a most 
remarkable “creation,” as the modistes 
would say. Her head was bent over it, 
and her fair curls hung about her flushed 
face. While she was thus busily engaged 
the door was opened, and Bernard came 
bounding in, exclaiming : 

“Oh, Viva! The gate must be just a 
little bit open again — I mean the gate of 
heaven out there beyond the mountains. 
It’s just lovely from Miss Morris’ win- 
dow, for there is all a golden glory. Come 
quick!” he added excitedly, and Viva, 
throwing down her work, pattered up- 
stairs after him as fast as her short legs 
could carry her. 


70 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


“Isn’t it beautiful!” panted Bernard, 
quite out of breath, while Viva clasped her 
hands with delight. It really was a glori- 
ous sight. The sun was setting behind the 
mountains, which stood out like a great 
purple barrier against the amber back- 
ground, and not only was the sky one blaze 
of yellow, but the river looked like rip- 
pling, molten gold, and the whole land- 
scape seemed bathed in a golden haze. The 
sun, as it sank behind the mountains, sent 
great rays of light far up into the sky, 
and then, by degrees, the gold tint turned 
redder and redder, until the whole sky was 
a brilliant flame color; then the red soft- 
ened and became paler, and little by little 
the light faded out of the sky, leaving the 
soft, fleecy clouds just touched up with 
rose color here and there. 

“Wasn’t it lovely!” exclaimed Bernard, 
breathlessly. 

“If it’s like that when the gate is only 
just a little bit open,” said Viva, “how 
lovely it must be when one gets right in- 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 


71 


side with God and our Lady and the 
angels!” 

Viva’s sweet face was flushed at the very 
thought of this, and there was an eager 
far-away look in her eyes. 

“Yes,” said her brother, thoughtfully; 
“I really can’t think why we shouldn’t try 
to get there. There are days when the 
mountains come quite near, and next time 
we see them do so I’ll try to get to 
heaven.” 

“Oh, take me with you; do, dear, dear 
Bernard!” said Viva, clasping her hands 
beseechingly. 

“You are so small,” said he contemptu- 
ously, “you would be sure to be fright- 
ened, or tired, or something — ” then, see- 
ing Viva’s eyes All with tears of disap- 
pointment, he added condescendingly: 
“Well, don’t cry like a baby. I’ll see 
what I can do, only don’t tell any one of 
our plans. We must prepare for it be- 
forehand, for it will be rather a long walk, 
I expect.” 

For the next week or so the two chil- 


72 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


dren were not only very eager making 
plans whenever they could talk together 
unobserved, but very busy over what 
Bernard called “preparing.” 

“You understand, Viva,” said he, “it’s 
rather a long way, and will take us a good 
while to get there, so we shall want to 
stop and eat every now and then or we 
shall die of starvation.” Viva looked 
rather scared. “Don’t be frightened,” 
continued her brother; “of course, there is 
no fear of that happening if we take pro- 
visions. Keep all the bread and fruit you 
can and I’ll do the same.” 

So, when the nurse gave them their 
g outer (a light afternoon lunch, consist- 
ing of bread and jam in winter and fruit 
in summer), and sent them out into the 
garden to eat it, they carefully put it all 
aside for the great journey. When I say 
all, I must admit they had often taken a 
bite out of the bread, especially Viva, who 
had a hearty appetite. The rest was care- 
fully stored away by Bernard in an old 
school satchel of Pierre’s that he had 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 


•rs 


found. As his brother was away he would 
not miss it. It was anything but clean, 
either exteriorly or interiorly, for it had 
contained many things besides the books 
it was intended for, and ink and gum had 
been freely spilled in it. Bernard thought, 
however, that this would not much matter, 
and that the satchel would be convenient 
to carry. He carefully sewed onto it two 
cockle-shells he had found, for in pictures 
of pilgrims he said he had always seen 
cockle-shells, and surely going to heaven 
could be considered a pilgrimage. After 
having decorated the satchel he stuffed 
into it not only their bread and fruit, con- 
sisting generally of fine ripe peaches or 
apricots, but also any candy or odd piece 
of chocolate that he or Viva got as rewards 
during those few days. 

If any of my readers have lived in 
mountainous countries they must have 
noticed, as did Bernard, that in certain 
states of the atmosphere the mountains 
seem quite close at hand; at others they 
seem far, far away, and often they dis- 


74 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


appear altogether. It so happened that 
for some time after the children had 
planned this journey to heaven, the moun- 
tains kept their far-away look; indeed, 
they did so for so long that Bernard had 
almost given up their plan, and they had 
taken to eating their gouter, instead of 
putting it into the satchel. One fine 
afternoon though, just as Viva had fin- 
ished her last mouthful of bread, Bernard 
drew her aside and whispered: 

“The mountains have come forward at 
last; see how close they are. To-morrow 
very early we must start on our way to 
heaven !” 

Now that the time had come Viva be- 
gan to feel a little nervous. 

“Do you think,” she inquired anxiously, 
“that Papa and Mamma will like us to 
go; and couldn’t we ask Miss Morris to 
come with us?” 

“Really! Viva,” exclaimed Bernard, 
“if I’d thought you would be such a 
coward, I would not have told you any- 
thing about it. Of course. Papa and 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 


75 


Mamma and Miss Morris would say it 
was too far off for us children; grown-up 
people always think things are too far off 
for us, but I don’t suppose you’ll be such 
a sneak and tell-tale as to go and speak 
to them about it. Of course, if you are 
frightened I’ll go by myself. I told you 
that you were too small.” 

“Oh, no! no!” pleaded Viva, her eyes 
full of tears. “Please take me, Bernard. 
I’ll not tell anybody, I promise you.” 

So it was settled, and Bernard went 
back to his lessons, while Viva, looking 
anxious and quite unlike her usual bright 
self, remained in the garden with nurse 
and the little ones. Miss Morris had been 
much displeased with Bernard’s constant 
inattention for the last few days and this 
afternoon she was really angry with him, 
so as a punishment his^ mother sent him 
to bed immediately after dinner. For 
once this just suited the little boy, for it 
enabled him to get everything ready for 
the morrow without being disturbed by 
any one, as the servants were at dinner 


76 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


and all the family in the garden. He 
pushed the satchel of provisions well under 
his bed, together with a rather heavy 
walking-stick he had found, also a pair 
of leggings of Pierre’s and his own stout- 
est pair of walking-boots. Then he 
slipped into bed and made plans for the 
next morning. Two things made him anx- 
ious. Should he wake up in time? And 
would he be able to open the front door 
and the entrance gate? 

Now, as luck would have it, all his diffi- 
culties vanished as if by magic, for there 
was a surprise march ordered that night 
and, at about half-past three in the morn- 
ing, the Colonel and his orderlies were up 
and there was much stamping of spurred 
boots about the house and great shouting 
of orders in the stable-yard. At last the 
horses were heard galloping away, and, 
after a time, all fell into dead silence again 
and, with a sigh of relief, every one in 
the house settled to sleep once more — 
every one, that is, except Bernard, who 
was too excited to sleep, and watched 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 


77 


the first streaks of daylight creeping 
through the curtains. Then he got up, 
dressed himself noiselessly, and when he 
was ready, all but his boots, he went on 
tip-toe to wake Viva. This was no easy 
matter, for she slept in her mother’s 
dressing-room, leading out of nurse’s 
room, and Bernard’s heart beat fast with 
fear of waking either nurse or mother, 
especially when Viva, on being rather 
vigorously shaken and pinched by him, 
called out loud in her astonishment. She 
was, however, in the habit of talking in 
her sleep, so no one took any notice, and 
she was soon out of bed and dressing, hav- 
ing great difficulty over some of the 
strings and buttons. At last Bernard, 
who had been staring hard out of the 
window, endeavoring to see a path lead- 
ing up and over the mountains, had to 
come to her assistance, and he too was con- 
siderably puzzled over those same strings 
and buttons, but finally managed them 
somehow, though her dress was fastened 


78 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


in front instead of behind and the right 
buttons and button-holes didn’t meet. 

“Never mind,” he whispered, “we have 
not time to alter it now, and it will get 
all right in heaven, everything does, you 
know. Take your boots in your hand and 
come very softly.” 

So they tip-toed out of the room and 
through the nursery, but, though the 
boards creaked ominously, as they always 
will do when you particularly wish them 
to be silent, they did not wake nurse, who 
was a sound sleeper, or even Baby Paul. 
On passing through his room Bernard 
took up the satchel, walking-stick, boots, 
and leggings, and the children crept down- 
stairs and into the hall. There Bernard 
got up on a chair and took down his own 
and his sister’s coat and hat from their 
respective pegs. 

They passed through the kitchen to the 
servants’ entrance, which Bernard had 
heard his father and the orderlies close 
behind them when they went out. It was 
only on the latch, so he easily opened it. 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 


79 


and they stepped out into the garden, 
shutting the door after them as noise- 
lessly as they could. Then they sat on 
the steps and put on their boots, which was 
a rather long and difficult operation. 
Bernard tried on the leggings, but found 
them so big and uncomfortable that, after 
having walked a few steps, he snatched 
them off and threw them down by the 
garden-gate as he passed with Viva into 
the silent street. 

A few minutes later they were tramping 
along the path by the river, well in sight 
of the mountains behind which Bernard 
declared the gate of heaven to be. It was 
just half-past five, on a delicious sum- 
mer’s morning ; the sun was shining 
brightly and the sky was deeply blue with 
a few fleecy clouds, while in every tree 
and bush the birds chirped and sang. The 
air was fresh and invigorating, with just 
a little breeze that rippled the surface of 
the water and made it sparkle in the morn- 
ing sun. The children hurried on as fast 
as they could, occasionally breaking into 


80 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


a run in their eagerness to arrive quickly 
at the gate of heaven. 

At first the path was a good one and 
all went well, but after a time it was very 
uneven and stony, and they came to some 
very rough ground where rubbish had 
been thrown, and where Viva, whose little 
legs were short though sturdy, found it 
very difficult to keep up with Bernard. 
Then a great watch-dog in a market gar- 
den close at hand rushed forward, barking 
at them frantically. To be sure, he was 
in a well-fenced garden, but the children 
were much frightened, nevertheless, and 
Viva, for one, began to wish she was safely 
back in her bed at home, though she dar6 
not say so to Bernard. 

“Do you think God will be glad to see 
us coming all alone and that He will let 
us in?” she inquired anxiously. “What 
shall we do if we find the door shut?” 

“Of course, God will be glad to see us,” 
answered Bernard, promptly; “does not 
mother always say how much He loves 
little children, and don’t you remember 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 81 

the picture she always shows us where the 
dear J esus is blessing them and where He 
says. ‘Suffer httle children to come to 
Me.’ ” 

Viva felt only half convinced. They had 
by this time come to a beautiful bend in 
the river, with green fields sloping down 
to it, and a double row of willows by the 
water-side, so Bernard, to cheer up his 
sister and change the current of her 
thoughts, proposed that they should sit 
down on the grass under one of the wil- 
lows and eat some of their provisions. 
Viva readily agreed to this, for not only 
had the keen morning air given her an ap- 
petite, but her poor little legs began to be 
so tired that she was really thankful to 
sit down. 

“We have lots of nice things to eat,” 
said Bernard; but his face fell as he 
looked into his satchel, for the fine, ripe 
peaches and apricots had been crushed and 
become moldy, and the juice which had 
run out of them had half melted the choc- 
olate and licorice, so that the whole satchel- 


sa FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

ful was one nasty, sticky lump of fruit, 
candy, and hard, moldy bread. ‘Tt’s 
rather stuck together,” said the boy, try- 
ing to speak cheerfully, “but it will be 
just as nice.” And with some difficulty 
he pulled out one of the least stale pieces 
of bread for Viva and another for himself, 
together with a squashy piece of chocolate 
for each. 

“What makes the bread so hard,” in- 
quired the little girl, struggling to bite 
a piece off. “Bread isn’t generally like 
this.” 

“Oh,” said her brother, who was never 
at a loss for an answer, “it must be one 
of the hardships!” 

“What do you mean by hardships? I 
don’t understand,” said Viva. 

“Well, I’ve often heard Mamma say 
there were a lot of hardships on the way 
to heaven, and I’ve often wondered what 
it meant. Now I understand; it means 
that things turn hard. That’s why this 
bread that’s generally so nice is very hard 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 8S 

to-day, just because we are on our way 
to heaven.” 

“O-oooo! Is that it?” answered Viva, 
rather dismally. “But, do you think 
everything that we eat until we get there 
will turn into a hardship?” 

“I don’t know,” said Bernard; “but, 
we’d better not think of that, but of how 
lovely it will be when we are there, all 
in the golden glory.” 

“What a funny taste the bread has,” 
continued Viva with a grimace, for the 
mixture of chocolate, licorice, and moldy 
fruit was anything but palatable. 

“Oh! If you’re so dainty as that you’ll 
never get to heaven,” said her brother an- 
grily. “It was stupid of me to take such 
a goose of a girl with me.” 

Poor Viva looked crushed by this re- 
proof, and said no more, but she ate very 
little of her bread and soon managed to 
slip it under one of the great roots of a 
tree when Bernard was not looking. 

“The rest,” said he calmly, as he buckled 
up the satchel, “will do for later on; it’s 


84 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


rather squashy, but when we are begin- 
ning to starve we shall be very glad of it.” 

The idea of starving alarmed his sister 
not a little and she felt she would indeed 
be in a state of misery before she was 
“very glad of” the contents of the satchel! 
They soon set to tramping along the river 
again, and found the way more and more 
fatiguing and difficult. 

“Don’t you think we have come the 
wrong way, Bernard?” she said wistfully, 
as she stumbled along a pathway covered 
with broken bricks, crockery, and rubbish 
of every description, such a very narrow 
path, too, that she was in constant dread 
of slipping into the rushing water. “We 
have walked hours and hours and the 
mountains don’t seem a bit nearer.” 

“Oh, no! we are all right,” he answered; 
“I’ve often heard people say that the way 
to heaven is narrow and stony.” 

“Then this must be it,” said Viva with 
a sigh of satisfaction; “but,” she added 
after a minute of anxious thought, “I’ve 
always heard Mamma talk about going 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 


85 


up to heaven; now this path does not go 
up a bit.” 

“We haven’t come to the going-up part 
yet,” answered her brother; “that will be 
when we get to the mountains.” 

Viva looked at the mountains that 
seemed to be getting farther and farther 
off, and a feeling of hopelessness came into 
her poor little heart. Just then her foot 
slipped and she fell forward, cutting her 
knee badly on a piece of broken crockery. 

“Poor darling, never mind — don’t cry!” 
said Bernard, kissing her and tying up her 
knee with his handkerchief; “it’s another 
hardship, you see; the bread is hard and 
the ground is hard, that’s why you cut 
your knee on it, but it will get well the 
very minute we are in heaven, for you 
know everything is cured at once there.” 

“Oh, but we’ll never get there!” sobbed 
Viva. “I do wish we’d never come here 
by ourselves! Oh, Mamma! Oh, Miss 
Morris!” she cried despairingly. 

Bernard felt angry with her, but he, 
too, was getting terribly tired and, though 


86 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


he would not own it, even to himself, was 
beginning to wish he were safely at home. 

They had just climbed up a little hil- 
lock and were on an exceedingly narrow, 
stony path with a bank of loose rocks 
sloping down to the foaming water. Just 
then they heard a loud, crashing, tramp- 
ing noise behind them, and terrible 
thoughts of packs of wolves, giants, gob- 
lins, and other horrors rushed into their 
minds. On turning round they saw, in a 
cloud of dust, the gleam of flashing swords 
and heard the tramping of a whole com- 
pany of cavalry coming straight upon 
them. Where could they go? To their 
left was a high, strong fence, to their 
right the steep, slippery bank sloping 
precipitously down to the rushing river. 

Bernard tried to drag his sister on, but 
she clung, shrieking, to the palings, and 
flnding that he could not make her let 
go he resolutely placed himself in front 
of her, feeling in his chivalrous child’s 
heart that he must protect her at all costs. 
This was the saving of them, for the Cap- 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 


87 


tain in command, who was riding at the 
head of his men, saw the lonely little fig- 
ure at the top of the hillock, and with a 
shout of “Halt!’’ he with difficulty stopped 
his skittish mare before he got to the nar- 
row pathway, where it would have been 
well nigh impossible for him to do so. 
Springing down, he threw his bridle to 
one of the men and ran toward the chil- 
dren, exclaiming: 

“Why, little ones ! What are you doing 
here, all by yourselves, and at this time of 
the morning, tool” 

Viva had rushed toward him and was 
sobbing in his arms, but Bernard stood 
like a culprit, and, looking up into his 
face with those pleading eyes of his, stam- 
mered ; 

“We — we — wanted to go to — heaven.” 

“To heaven!” ejaculated the Captain; 
“well, you were pretty near it a minute 
ago! If I had not stopped my horse in 

time ” he paused with a shudder, and 

held little Viva closer in his arms as he 
looked down at the cruel currents and 


88 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


eddies, for the Rhone was particularly 
dangerous just there. “What do you 
mean, though,” he added; “have you run 
away from home?” 

“We wanted to get to the gate of 
heaven beyond the mountains where the 
glory comes from,” continued the boy, and 
the Captain, remembering that their 
mother had told him of the children’s 
pretty notion that the sunset was the gate 
of heaven, just a little bit open, with diffi- 
culty repressed a smile, while he continued 
petting and comforting Viva. 

“And heaven seems to get farther and 
farther off, and the provisions are so hor- 
rid, and I don’t believe God wants us one 
bit!” sobbed she. 

“Not just now; I really don’t think He 
does,” answered the Captain, laughing. 
You see, he had children of his own and, 
therefore, understood little people and 
their ways. “But I must not waste time,” 
he added; “besides, they must be in a nice 
way about you at home.” So, taking a 
child with each hand, he led them toward 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 


89 


the soldiers whose horses were, many of 
them, prancing in what Viva considered 
a most terrifying manner. It so hap- 
pened that two of the Colonel’s orderlies 
belonged to the Captain’s company, so, 
calling them forward, he handed up a child 
to each of them and bade them ride back 
quickly with them and tell their mother 
where and how he had found them. 

“And tell Madame de Boisvallon,” he 
added, “that I beg their forgiveness as a 
particular favor to myself.” Then he 
ordered the men, after having left their 
charges safely at home, to gallop as fast 
as they could by a short cut to the vil- 
lage of G , where their company were 

to surprise the rest of the regiment. 

After the bustle and noise of the night 
every one had slept soundly and late at 
the villa, and it was half-past seven when 
the sound of Madame de Boisvallon’s bell 
roused the maid and nurse, who dressed 
hurriedly. 

“Overslept yourselves; well, I don’t 
wonder,” she said in answer to her maid’s 


90 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


profuse apologies. “But now go and help 
Lena to wash and dress the children and 
then send them to me for morning pray- 
ers, or Miss Morris will be in before they 
are ready for breakfast.” 

A few minutes after Lena rushed into 
the room looking so white and scared that 
Madame de Boisvallon sprang up and 
slipped on a dressing gown, exclaiming: 

“What’s the matter! A child ill? An 
accident? For God’s sake, speak, Lena!” 

“I — oh — Madame!” stammered Lena. 
“They’ve gone! Master Bernard and 
Miss Viva! Their beds are empty and 
their clothes are gone !” 

“Oh, bless me! Lena, how you did 
frighten me!” said her mistress, leaning 
against her wardrobe and feeling sick and 
dizzy. “I thought little Paul was in con- 
vulsions or some such thing. As for the 
two children you’ll most likely find them 
playing in the garden. They probably 
got tired of waiting for you to wake up 
and dress them, and Master Bernard is 
very independent and constantly leading 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 91 

his sister into mischief. Go and fetch 
them in and send them to me.” 

But, of course, Lena searched the gar- 
den and shrubberies in vain, and Madame 
de Boisvallon, who had dressed hastily, 
joined in the search and soon began to 
feel seriously anxious. At last, on going 
toward the gate, the mother found the 
gaiters which Bernard had thrown down 
there. For once in her life, she, who was 
generally so cool and collected, felt help- 
less and bewildered. The Colonel was 
away, the orderlies also; Miss Morris, all 
unconscious, had gone off to early Mass 
an hour before, and Andrea, the maid, and 
Lena were as totally upset as their mis- 
tress. 

“We must set out in search of them,” 
said poor Madame de Boisvallon; “but, 
how can we tell which way to turn and 
where to look? Oh, God, grant they may 
not have gone by the river,” she added 
with a break in her voice. 

Just then they heard the sound of 
horses’ hoof coming up to the gate, and a 


92 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


minute later the poor mother was hugging 
her children in her arms and sobbing over 
them. Of course, they were tears of re- 
lief and thankfulness, but Bernard and 
Viva were too small to understand that, 
and she could not have given them a 
greater punishment. Never did they for- 
get, never could they forgive themselves 
when they remembered that by their 
thoughtlessness they had made their 
mother cry ! They kissed her, they hugged 
her, and, sobbing, begged her to forgive 
them, beseeching her not to cry any more, 
and promising never to be naughty again. 
At last she managed to smile through her 
tears, and led the children indoors where 
she began by bathing Viva’s knee and 
putting the poor, tired mite to bed. Then, 
she sat down by her bedside and called 
Bernard. 

“Now, children,” she said, “I want you 
to tell me the whole truth. Of course, it 
was you, Bernard, who led your sister into 
mischief.” 

“Oh, no!” exclaimed Viva, anxious to 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 93 

take her share of the blame; “it was I who 
asked him to take me with him.” 

“But Viva did beg me to ask your 
leave,” said her brother; “it was I who 
forbade her to tell you or anybody of our 
plan.” 

Madame de Boisvallon kissed her chil- 
dren, for their perfect truthfulness was 
the thing she prized the most. Then they 
told her all about their “plan,” and their 
hopes of getting to heaven, and the 
fatigue and “hardships” of the journey, 
and she had great trouble in keeping her 
face straight when they told her of the 
hardship of the provisions and showed her 
the contents of the satchel. 

“My dears,” she said quietly, “did it not 
occur to you that if it were possible to 
walk to heaven or even to ride or drive 
there, which would be much quicker, your 
father. Miss Morris, and I, and indeed all 
of us, would have gone there long ago?” 

Bernard hung his head with a shame- 
faced look, for this thought had never 
struck him before. 


94 ? 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


‘‘God will not allow any of us to go 
to heaven until He calls us,” continued his 
mother, “and He will never call us there 
if we are naughty. When he is willing 
to have us He sends an angel to fetch us 
and lead us to Him, but He will only send 
him if we are good, truthful, and helpful 
to others and if we do our duty bravely 
and earnestly. We must all wait pa- 
tiently until the angel comes.” 

“Will he come for me soon, if I am very 
good?” inquired Viva. 

“I hope not!” exclaimed Madame de 
Boisvallon; then, seeing the child’s aston- 
ished look, she added: “I mean I do not 
think so. If my Viva goes to heaven she 
will never come back, and what would 
Mamma do without her darling,” she 
asked, kissing the little flushed face. “Do 
you want to leave Papa and Mamma, and 
your brothers, and Solange, dearest?” 

“Oh, no! No!” exclaimed Viva, kissing 
and hugging her mother. “I don’t want 
to go until the angel will take us all to 
heaven together.” 

“That’s right,” said her mother; “and 


THE GATE OF HEAVEN 


95 


now, there’s that good Andrea bringing 
you some nice hot chocolate and toast, 
which is not a hardship,” she added, 
laughing, ‘‘and is far more than you de- 
serve. You may eat it, though, and then 
Bernard shall lie down on his bed, too, 
and you will both sleep for a few hours. 
When Papa comes home we must think 
what punishment you deserve for being 
so naughty.” 

So the children ate their breakfast and 
enjoyed it immensely, and then both fell 
fast asleep and Viva dreamed that the 
angel had come and was flying with her 
into the golden sunset, and that, although 
she stretched out her arms toward father, 
mother, and all the others, the angel would 
not take them in spite of all her tears and 
entreaties, and when she awoke she was 
very glad to find she was not in an angel’s 
arms, after all, but in her little bed with 
mother and Miss Morris bending over her 
and smiling, and she said to herself that 
she hoped the angel would not come just 
yet, not until she had grown up and all 
the others were ready to come with her. 


CHAPTER VI 

PLAYING WITH FIKE 

W HEN Pierre returned from Switzer- 
land he was able to show that he 
had worked well during his absence, and 
the college professor who came to examine 
him declared that he was almost a year 
ahead of most boys of his age. 

He was able, therefore, to enjoy his 
holidays to the full, and all the children 
had a delightful time in Auvergne, where 
they spent part of the vacation at their 
grandmother’s and part with the de Flo- 
quins. They had no end of pleasant pic- 
nics, excursions, rides, and parties of all 
sorts, and the two happy months seemed 
to fly by in no time. 

The only cloud in their happiness had 
been the sudden departure of their kind 
nurse, Lena, who was called home to at- 
tend to her sick mother. 

The German girl who came to take her 
96 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 


97 


place proved anything but satisfactory, 
and Madame de Boisvallon soon found 
out that she purposely scared the little 
ones and was harsh and unkind to them 
when she thought herself unnoticed. She 
was, therefore, instantly dismissed. 

After they returned home a new Ger- 
man nurse came, a very meek, inoffensive, 
middle-aged woman, who was more in- 
clined to let the children order her about 
than to have any authority over them. 
Madame de Boisvallon had strictly for- 
bidden her to strike or frighten any of 
her charges under pain of instant dismis- 
sal, and the children, finding her very in- 
dulgent and rather silly, took a mean ad- 
vantage of it. Bernard, especially, 
thought that now the time really had come 
when he could have it all his own way, 
and he became more and more disobedi- 
ent and unruly. In the nursery he was 
constantly being complained of ; he often 
fell into disgrace with Miss Morris be- 
cause of his insubordination, and even with 
his parents he was occasionally disobedi- 


98 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


ent, and punishments and reproaches 
seemed to have but little effect. 

In every other way he was as charm- 
ing as ever, painstaking over his studies, 
thoughtful and observant about every- 
thing and very lovable and affectionate 
with all, more especially with Viva. 
Pierre was getting a little too much of a 
big boy for him and was very much taken 
up with his studies, besides which our hero 
had rather to knock under to Pierre and 
that he did not like, while Viva was full 
of admiration for him and was always 
willing to sympathize with him about 
everything. She was always ready for a 
romp, she would listen with dehght to 
his long stories and explanations, she 
would fetch and carry for him, or look on 
while he worked out imaginary and most 
sanguinary battles with his tin soldiers, or 
sit by him while he read to her some 
poetical fairy tale such as Anderson’s 
“Wild Swans,” and a prettier picture 
than they made you can not imagine. 

“What a pity it is that babies can’t talk 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 


99 


for such a long time after God has sent 
them to us,” exclaimed Bernard one day, 
coming out of a brown study during which 
Viva, with her dimpled elbow on her knee 
and her cheek resting on her little fat 
hand, had been anxiously watching him. 

“Why,” she inquired; “because they 
can’t say when they are hungry?” 

“How silly you are. Viva!” answered 
her brother. “Of course, it’s not on that 
account; when Paul is hungry he howls, 
and Mamma knows what he means. 
Mothers always know what babies mean. 
No, it’s because if they could talk at once 
they could tell us what it was like in heaven 
when they left it, and what the angels do 
there, and — why — lots and lots of things ; 
and, of course, by the time they have 
learned to talk they have forgotten all 
about it. Why, now, our Paul is nearly a 
year old and when I ask him what it was 
like in heaven he just crows or pulls my 
hair, or says “gullee, gullee” or some such 
stupid thing, and how can I understand 


100 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


what he means?” inquired Bernard in an 
aggrieved voice. 

“Perhaps God does not wish us to know 
what it is like in heaven until we get back 
there ourselves, and then it will be more 
of a surprise,” suggested his sister. 

“What’s the good of saying ‘perhaps’? 
It’s just like a girl,” answered Bernard 
scornfully. “Now, who do you suppose 
lights up the stars of an evening?” con- 
tinued he. 

“Why the good God, of course,” an- 
swered the little girl promptly. 

“What? All those millions and billions 
and trillions of stars?” (Bernard was 
very fond of sums and of long numbers.) 
“And all at a time? Why, what a number 
of hands he would have to have ! and you 
know Mamma said the other day God had 
no hands.” 

Viva knitted her brows with a perplexed 
look, then her face brightened and she ex- 
claimed: “Why, of course, Bernard, it 
must be the angels; you know there are 
lots and lots of them.” 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 


101 


‘‘To be sure,” said he, “that must be it. 
How lovely it must be to see all those 
beautiful angels with their great white 
wings flying about from star to star to 
light them up. I wonder what they light 
them with! Matches, I suppose. I love 
lighting matches.” 

“But,” said Viva, “you know Mamma 
says we’re never to touch the matches.” 

“Oh, of course she meant that for you 
little ones, because she is afraid you would 
set the house on Are ; but I’m getting big, 
and I know how to do it all right, and I 
love striking a match, because it’s like a 
little star; I shall like it all the more now 
that I can think I’m doing just as the 
angels do when they light up the stars at 
night. Now,” he continued, “when the 
stars are lighted they stay alight a long 
time, and they light up again the next 
night, so do the lamps, so does the gas ; but 
what becomes of the matches and the can- 
dles and the blue fire that Andrea holds the 
chickens in?” 

“Oh! how cruel!” exclaimed tender- 


102 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


hearted Viva; ‘‘does Andrea really hold 
the poor chickens in the fire?” 

“The dead ones, goosey. She pours 
something in a caucer and lights it, and 
it makes a pretty blue flame, and she holds 
the chickens in it to burn off the little 
feathers, and the blue fire burns and 
burns, and then” (getting up and waving 
his arms in his excitement) “the fire goes 
out and there is nothing left in the saucer! 
Now, where does it go to?” 

“Well,” responded the little girl 
promptly, “I should think it is sure to go 
to hell or purgatory, as there is so much 
fire there.” 

“I don’t think that’s it,” said Bernard; 
“but I must light some more matches and 
see where they go to.” 

“You remember. Mamma said — ,” be- 
gan his sister. 

“Now, don’t you preach,” he answered 
quickly; “remember I’m much more grown 
up than you.” (He was six and Viva 
four.) 

“Oh, Bernard! I wish you wouldn’t!” 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 


103 


pleaded the poor child, with a distressed 
look. “Mamma told me a dreadful story 
the other day about a disobedient boy who 
played with matches, and his little baby 
brother got all burned up, and if you 
burned our Paul!” Viva’s eyes were full 
of tears at the very thought of it. 

“Don’t be a goose. Sissy,” said Bernard 
impatiently. “There’s no fear of my hurt- 
ing Paul. Ah! there’s Pierre,” he added, 
glad of an opportunity to change the con- 
versation; “let’s get him to play soldiers.” 

A few minutes later the children were 
all shouting in the garden. Pierre, the 
general, giving endless orders and very 
cleverly imitating the voice and manners 
of the generals he knew; Bernard, who 
represented the whole army, very busy, as 
you may suppose ; and Viva, who was the 
military band, banging vigorously on an 
old saucepan with her mother’s choicest 
cutting-out scissors and blowing a tin 
trumpet imtil she was crimson in the face 
and seemed likely to share the awful fate 
of Roland. 


104 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


A few days later Miss Morris, who had 
been to talk to Madame de Boisvallon 
about some books she wanted for the boys, 
noticed on her return a curious odor of 
sulphur, and hurrying into her own room 
found on her toilet-table a box of matches 
which had evidently been thrown down 
very hurriedly, as it was still half open, 
while several burned or half -burned mat- 
ches lay scattered on the floor, where one 
of them was slowly singeing a hole in the 
carpet. 

“Bernard, come here!” called the gov- 
erness severely. “What do you mean by 
being so naughty, and how dare you go 
into my room without my permission and 
burn my matches when you know your 
mother has most strictly forbidden you 
ever to touch one again!” 

Bernard stood before her looking the 
picture of misery, his head bent down and 
his long curls drooping dismally. At last 
he said slowly: 

“I — I only meant to strike just one to 
see where it went to, and then — I couldn’t 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 


105 


see it, and then I lit another and another, 
and then — I heard you coming up ” 

“What do you mean, Bernard?” said 
Miss Morris. “See where what went to?” 

“Why, the match,” answered the child. 
“When it burns, where does it go to?” 

“It’s rather too difficult for a little boy 
like you to understand,” said Miss Mor- 
ris; “but if you’re very attentive I’ll try 
to tell you something about it,” and she 
endeavored in the simplest possible terms 
to give him some idea of combustion, but 
I must say he looked only half convinced. 

“And where does the ‘oxymen’ come 
from?” he began. 

“Now that is enough talking for the 
present,” said the governess, “and your 
desire to know what becomes of the 
matches is no excuse for disobeying your 
mother, so remember, you are to take no 
dessert this evening.” 

A few days later, as they were sitting 
down to dinner, the Colonel said to his 
wife: 


106 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


“My dear, did you seal a letter or par- 
cel in my study this afternoon?” 

“Oh, no!” answered Madame de Bois- 
vallon. “I have been out ever since lunch- 
eon, besides which I never go to your study 
to seal anything, as I have all that is 
needed in my own desk. Why do you 
ask?” 

“Well, it is strange,” said the Colonel; 
“because when I went up to dress for din- 
ner I passed by my study and noticed that 
my candle was lighted. It must have been 
burning a long time, to judge by the little 
that remains of it, and yet I know I have 
not used it at all to-day. The sealing-wax 
was beside it and a number of burned 
matches. I wonder who can have had the 
impudence to go and meddle with my 
things!” he added angrily. Then, upon a 
glance from his wife he turned suddenly to 
look at Bernard, whose head was bent over 
his plate, and whose face was as red as a 
peony. “Bernard,” said his father sternly, 
“do you know who went into my study 
and used my seals?” 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 


107 


Bernard raised his eyes to his father’s 
face with such a look of anguish that he 
might have been a criminal awaiting in- 
stant execution. In spite of himself the 
Colonel began to feel mollified. 

‘T did it, Papa,” said the child, tremb- 
ling under his father’s angry glance. 

“You don’t mean to say that you actu- 
ally dared to go into my study, light my 
candle, and use my seals?” exclaimed the 
Colonel. 

“Yes, I did,” said Bernard. “I wanted 
to make some seals, but I couldn’t because 
the wax stuck to the seal, and then — I 
forgot to blow out the candle.” 

“Well,” said his father, “I’ll forgive 
you as you have owned your fault, but, 
mind, the very next time I hear of your 
striking a match I’ll whip you. Now you 
quite understand?” 

“Yes, Papa. Thank you. Papa,” said 
Bernard, quite relieved at getting off so 
easily. 

“Really, Henri,” said Madame de 
Boisvallon, after the children had gone to 


108 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


bed, ought to have punished Ber- 

nard; he certainly will finish by setting the 
house on fire. You are quite weak with 
that child.” 

“Well,” answered the Colonel laughing, 
“perhaps I am. But those eyes of his! I 
really can’t resist their beseeching expres- 
sion ! they are so beautiful and remind me 
of yours, my dear,” added the Colonel 
gallantly. 

“Oh! It’s all very well getting out of 
it that way,” said Madame de Boisvallon, 
smiling; “however, you’ll have to whip him 
next time; you know you said you would.” 

About a fortnight later the nurse came 
down to her mistress. 

“Please, Madame,” she exclaimed, “one 
of the children has been taking my box of 
matches and burned more than half of 
them, and I’m sure it’s a wonder they don’t 
set the house on fire. It’s no use my tell- 
ing them — ” she began. 

“It would be of far more use if you put 
the matches out of their reach, as you know 
what a temptation they are,” answered 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 


109 


Madame de Boisvallon. “Of course, I 
shall punish the culprit. Send Bernard 
down to me.” 

Soon the little fellow came into the 
drawing-room looking terribly ashamed of 
himself. 

“Bernard,” said his mother, without 
raising her eyes from her writing, “you’ve 
been burning matches again?” Dead 
silence. Bernard only looked more 
wretched than ever. “Your father will 
soon be in,” she added; “stand there in 
the middle of the room until he comes.” 

His mother spoke very coolly and 
quietly, but her heart beat fast, and she 
had very little idea of what she was scrib- 
bling as she listened for the Colonel’s well- 
known step on the gravel. Very soon they 
heard it and he entered the drawing-room 
with a cheery, “Well, here I am at last;” 
but in an instant his face fell when he saw 
the culprit standing under the chandelier. 
“What! has some one been naughty 
again?” he exclaimed. “Here is a pleas- 
ant thing for me to find on coming home ! 


110 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


And pray, Bernard, what have you been 
doing this time?” 

“Lighting matches. Papa,” said Ber- 
nard in a scarcely audible voice, as he 
looked up into his father’s face with eyes 
like those of some poor hunted gazelle. 

“What!” said Monsieur de Boisvallon. 
“Will nothing cure you of this habit? 
What did I promise you last time, Ber- 
nard?” 

“A whipping,” murmured the child. 

“Go up into my room and wait for me 
there,” said his father sternly, though his 
heart ached at the sight of the woe-begone- 
looking little fellow. 

“This is the hardest part of my day’s 
work,” he said, as he prepared to follow 
his son. “I hate to strike any of my chil- 
dren, but especially Bernard. He looks 
so terribly pathetic that I feel as if I were 
thrashing some poor wounded creature.” 

“Well,” said his wife with a sigh, “I’m 
ever so sorry for my poor little lad, but 
I’d sooner know you gave him a whipping 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 


111 


than have him set fire to himself or any 
of his brothers or sisters.” 

So the Colonel went up to his room, and 
soon after Bernard went back to the nur- 
sery and sat down with his back to the 
others, feeling terribly dejected and anx- 
ious that the “tittle ones” should not see 
that he was crying. He pretended to look 
at a picture-book, while his scalding tears 
fell upon it. “Papa, Mamma, nurse, and 
all the grown-ups struck matches, so why 
should not I?” he kept saying to himself, 
and he felt ill-used and utterly miserable. 

Very soon, however, he felt a soft arm 
round his neck, and looking up, saw Viva 
gazing up into his face with no end of 
sympathy in those soft gray eyes of hers. 
She said nothing, for from a mere baby 
she had possessed that most delightful 
thing in woman, wonderful tact, and so, 
having brought her little stool close up to 
his, she just sat there, with her arm round 
his neck and her soft cheek resting against 
his, while Bernard felt wonderfully 
soothed and comforted. After a while she 


112 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


began to talk to him about the pictures 
they were looking at and so, when their 
father and mother came up half an hour 
later and looked into the nursery they 
found them still sitting with their arms 
around each other’s necks and the big book 
stretched across their knees while they 
chatted eagerly over it. 

Several months had slipped by and the 
bright summer was over. It had been 
most enjoyable, with the rambles up the 
mountains or along the valleys, the rows 
on the river sailing La Geneviva, the 
drives in the neighborhood, and the pleas- 
ant evenings in the garden romping with 
Carlo. Now the days had grown much 
shorter, the wooded hills were glorious 
with the varied tints of crimson, amber, 
and brown, and the weather was growing 
so cool that fires had been lighted in most 
of the rooms. 

Maria, the German nurse, was turning 
out to be more and more helpless and silly. 
If one of her charges hurt himself ever so 
little she would utter such exclamations of 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 


113 


horror and pity that the child thought him- 
self ten times worse than he really was ; if 
the slightest accident occurred she totally 
lost her head, stood screaming helplessly, 
and was as useless as a baby. Madame de 
Boisvallon was much annoyed at all this, 
but she hesitated to send the woman away 
as she was so thoroughly truthful and hon- 
est, and gentle with the children* 

One chilly afternoon the rain was beat- 
ing down and the children had had to be 
kept in all day, and were consequently in- 
clined to be restless and troublesome. 
With Miss Morris they had been pretty 
good, but when recreation time came she 
sent her pupils to join the little ones in 
the nursery and play under the care of the 
nurse. A few minutes later she heard 
Maria screaming and, running down to 
see what was the matter, discovered that 
Solange had upset a large bottle of spirits 
of wine that the nurse had stupidly left 
on a low shelf close to the unused chim- 
ney of her own bedroom, which led out of 
the nursery and was quite sufficiently 


114 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


warmed by its big stove. The quart bottle 
had broken to pieces as it fell on the marble 
in front of the fireplace, and its contents 
streamed in all directions. The nurse and 
children all stood round looking at it, 
Maria screaming reproaches at Solange, 
but not attempting to wipe up the liquid. 

“Just keep the children from cutting 
themselves with the glass or getting any 
spirit on their clothes until I come back,” 
said Miss Morris, as she ran to her room 
in search of cloths and sponge. Before 
she could return again, however, Bernard 
said quietly: 

“I know a way of drying it up,” and 
threw a lighted match into the streaming 
spirit. 

In an instant a mass of blue fiame shot 
almost up to the ceiling. Nurse threw up 
her hands with horror, shrieking violently, 
but taking no notice of the children. 
Meanwhile Baby Paul, attracted by the 
pretty blue light, came crowing and totter- 
ing with uncertain steps toward the cruel 
flame. 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 115 

“Go back! Go back! You’ll fall into 
it,” yelled Maria, still standing as if rooted 
to the spot, but loving little Viva, seeing 
his danger, rushed across the room and 
pushed him back just in time to prevent 
him from falling forward into the burning 
spirit. She had saved him, but as she did 
so she had passed too near the flames ; her 
dress caught fire and in an instant she was 
ablaze. Happily her mother had rushed 
up on hearing Maria’s screams, and ar- 
rived just in time; quick as a thought she 
snatched the quilt from the nurse’s bed, 
wrapped the child in it, and rolling her on 
the floor put out the flames at once. Al- 
though this had taken but a few seconds, 
poor Viva was considerably burned about 
the limbs and shoulders, and was shrieking 
with pain and fright. Miss Morris, who 
had rushed into the room just after the 
mother, snatched up Baby Paul and car- 
ried him out of danger, while the man- 
servants, throwing rugs upon the burning 
fluid, stamped it out. 

“Run at once for the doctor and the 


116 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


Colonel,” said their mistress; ‘‘and, Miss 
Morris, come and help me with this poor 
child,” she added as she tenderly carried 
poor Viva to her own room. 

And Bernard! His brother and sister 
looked at him with horror and indignation, 
and all went into the nursery, leaving him 
alone with Maria. He stood there in a 
corner of the room, the very picture of 
despair, staring with dilated eyes at the 
door through which he had seen the re- 
treating figure of his mother with Viva in 
her arms. 

“Ah!” said the nurse to him when she 
had recovered her breath a little, “this is 
all your doing, Master Bernard, and the 
wonder is we’re all not burned to death. 
I always said you’d do some awful mis- 
chief, and now you’ve killed your poor 
little sister, and your father and mother 
will never forgive you or speak to you 
again, and everybody will point at you 
and call you the little boy that burned his 
sister to death.” 

“Oh, no!” cried Bernard, flinging him- 


PLAYING WITH FIRE 117 

self on the bed in an agony of sorrow and 
despair. “Viva will not die! Do not say 
that she will die! Oh, Viva! My dear 
Viva!’’ and his voice broke in a heartrend- 
ing sob. 

“There, go to your own room,” said the 
nurse impatiently. “I don’t want you cry- 
ing here any longer ; you’ve done mischief 
enough for one day,” and she pushed the 
poor little lad into his room and shut the 
door upon him. 

He stood where she left him in the mid- 
dle of the room with a feeling of hopeless 
despair in his heart. Viva was going to 
die! Burned to death by him! Bright 
little Viva! His little sister, who had al- 
ways been so sweet to him, whom he loved 
so dearly! He remembered the pleading 
look in her eyes when, after their talk 
about the stars, she had begged him not 
to play with matches; he thought of how 
she had come and put her arms around his 
neck and comforted him last time his 
father had punished him; he seemed to feel 
her kiss upon his cheek! Would he never 


118 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


feel her arms about his neck again? All 
through his disobedience! He felt sick 
and dizzy at the thought of it. 

“Your father and mother will never for- 
give you or speak to you again,” he seemed 
to hear his nurse say. Could this be true ? 
Would he never be taken again into his 
mother’s loving arms? Yet how could 
they love him after he had killed Viva? 
Why couldn’t he die himself? Why 
couldn’t he hide himself somewhere — any- 
where — where they might never be able to 
reproach him for what he had done! 


CHAPTER VII 

IN THE DARK NIGHT 

F or some time Bernard knelt by his 
little bed, listening with a beating 
heart to the footsteps coming to and from 
the sick-room. He heard the doctor com- 
ing hurriedly up the stairs, and soon after 
the street door opened again, and his father 
came springing up, inquiring anxiously 
what was the matter. Would he come into 
his room and upbraid him for what he had 
done? He had whipped him last time he 
had struck matches, and it was Viva who 
had come to him — Viva whom he had now 
killed ! He felt as if his heart were break- 
ing. He heard his father’s step again and 
was panic-stricken, dreading to see him 
come in. He hid himself behind the door, 
crouching down almost under the bed in 
the darkest corner he could find, holding 
his breath until he heard the Colonel re- 
enter the sick-room and shut the door after 


119 


120 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


him. Then he waited for what seemed to 
him hours and hours, and almost regretted 
that his father had not come and whipped 
him in his anger; anything seemed better 
than his present lonely misery of remorse 
and dread. 

Some one had again opened his mother’s 
door for a few minutes, and he could hear 
poor Viva moaning. Oh, he could not 
bear that ! He must get away somewhere, 
where he could not hear her and where 
he could get rid of this awful aching at 
his heart. So, hardly knowing what he 
did, he softly opened his door and slipped 
downstairs. No one thought of him just 
then or heard him as he climbed on a chair 
to get his hat and coat down from their 
peg in the hall, and then he stepped into 
the garden where, with great trouble, he 
opened the heavy gate and passed out into 
the silent street. 

The rain had almost ceased, but it was 
growing dark; the wind was chilly and, 
as it whistled dismally in the trees, it sent 
showers of drops from the lime leaves on 


IN THE DARK NIGHT 


121 


to the desolate little figure trudging along 
in the deep mud. Fearing the light of the 
few flickering gas lamps, Bernard hastily 
crossed over to the other side of the street, 
which was in deep shadow. This was a 
needless precaution, for this part of the 
town was always quiet and almost de- 
serted, and on this wild, stormy night no 
one cared to be out. The child took a 
little dark by-street, and soon found him- 
self on the high road, where houses and 
lights grew scarcer until he was quite out 
in the country and along one of their fa- 
vorite walks. He remembered with a 
pang how often and how happily he had 
come along here with Miss Morris romp- 
ing with Pierre and — Viva! He gave a 
sob of pain as he thought of her as she had 
been then, so merry and full of fun, his 
dear pretty little sister whom he had been 
so proud of! And now she was dying — 
nurse had said so — and he had killed her. 
Must not even the good God be angry 
with him? 

He heard the roaring of the Rhone in 


122 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


the far distance, and stopped a minute, 
wondering if it would not have been bet- 
ter to have gone and thrown himself into 
the rushing river; but oh, no! the cold, 
dark water frightened him too much. He 
would go and hide himself in the ruins of 
the “Four du Diable” ; no one would find 
him there. S o he hurried on, his brown curls 
all limp and wet beating about his face, his 
aching feet sinking into the sodden sandy 
soil, stumbling over stumps of grass and 
low bushes as he went on as fast as his 
poor little legs could carry him up the 
steep hillside. But everywhere Viva’s face 
seemed to pursue him, and he kept repeat- 
ing to himself. “I have killed her — killed 
her — killed her!” and he rushed on, hop- 
ing he could get away from that thought 
and from the fearful misery in his heart. 

It had grown darker and darker, but 
somehow he groped his way to the en- 
trance of the pretty valley on the other 
side of which was the mountain on which 
was the cave known as “Four du Diable” 
(the devil’s baking-oven). This valley 


IN THE DARK NIGHT 


123 


looked charming enough on a bright 
summer’s day, with its wealth of flowers 
and its pretty stream bubbling and gurg- 
ling as it dashed from rock to rock. This 
evening, however, in the fast increasing 
darkness, the pine-trees at the entrance 
made it look weird and mysterious; the 
wind that rushed up from the river howled 
dismally through it, and Bernard’s heart 
began to beat faster, with fear this time, as 
he felt all of a sudden what a poor wee 
waif he was, all alone in the darkness with 
the great mountains all around him. 

Just then he heard a rustling in the 
shrubs close by him (probably some bird he 
had startled in its sleep ) and his very heart 
seemed to stand still. What was it? A 
snake, perhaps! — and he felt a horrible 
crawling all over him at the thought, — 
or a wolf — coming stealthily toward him, 
ready to spring upon him and eat him! 
A wild fear had taken the place of his 
remorseful despair, and he turned hastily 
to retrace his steps, but in the darkness he 
lost his way and rushed farther and far- 


124 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


ther into the woods on the mountain-side. 
Panic-stricken, he began to call loudly: 
“Mamma I Miss Morris !” But the sound 
of his own voice re-echoing on the moun- 
tains only frightened him still more. 

Again and again he attempted to turn 
back, but in spite of his efforts he could 
not find his way to the road, and more 
than once he tripped and fell headlong into 
the soaked grass and prickly bushes. Poor 
little fellow! What was going to become 
of him, lost in the darkness on the moun- 
tain-side? Would he fall down the rocks 
and die there, all alone in the chilly night? 
Perhaps he really was going to die? And 
in spite of his misery and terror a feeling 
of pleasure, almost of exultation, came 
into his heart when he thought how sorry 
they all would be at home when they found 
their little Bernard dead, and then they 
would forgive him and weep over him! 
And his own tears fell fast at the thought 
of it, and with a cry of: “Oh, Mamma! 
Oh, Viva!’’ he flung himself hopelessly 
down on the wet grass, while the rain. 


IN THE DARK NIGHT 


125 


which was falling fast again, beat upon 
him, and the wind wailed dismally as if 
it were moaning over him. 

It was Viva’s faithful love that saved 
Bernard and sent friends to his help. 
Tenderly and swiftly the doctor and the 
kind nurses had dressed the child’s burns 
and eased her pain, and the Colonel was 
bending over her with such sorrow in his 
heart as he had never known until then. 
She had been told to keep very quiet and 
not to talk, but as she lay there she looked 
so wistfully and beseechingly into her 
father’s face that the doctor said at last: 

“The little one seems to have something 
on her mind. Tell your Papa what it is, 
my child.” 

“What is it, darling?” said her father, 
bending down close to the little flushed 
face. 

“Bernard,” whispered Viva; “don’t 
punish him; don’t whip him, please. Papa 
dear!” she added, laying her hand caress- 
ingly on her father’s. An angry frown 
had come on the Colonel’s face when she 


126 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


had first mentioned her brother’s name, 
but his look softened and his eyes grew 
moist at the child’s unselfish thought for 
the brother whose disobedience had been 
the cause of all her suffering. Kissing the 
little one tenderly he answered : 

“Don’t trouble about Bernard, my darl- 
ing; he shall not be punished.” 

“I’m sure he’s so sorry; please go and 
kiss him,” added Viva, in whose childish 
mind a kiss was always the sign of for- 
giveness for all misdeeds. 

“Yes, my pet. I’ll go if you wish it, but 
now you must promise to keep very quiet 
and not say another word;” and in order 
to satisfy her he left the room in search of 
the culprit, while Madame de Boisvallon 
remained with Viva. 

“Where’s Master Bernard, nurse,” 
asked the Colonel, after having looked 
everywhere for him. 

“I sent him to his room about twenty 
minutes ago,” answered Maria. 

“He is no longer there,” said his father; 
“go and find him and send him to my study 


IN THE DARK NIGHT 


127 


and be quick about it,” he added impa- 
tiently. But they sought high and low 
and no Bernard could they find. At last 
Miss Morris, who had joined in the search, 
came to tell the Colonel that Bernard’s hat 
and coat had disappeared out of the hall. 

“God help us!” exclaimed the Colonel 
despairingly. “Has not that child caused 
trouble enough already, and can not that 
idiot of a nurse take sufficient care of the 
children to know if they’re in the house or 
not? What’s to be done now? Send all 
the men-servants with lanterns in every 
direction. He was most likely wild with 
fright and remorse ; I only trust he has not 
gone by the river; it’s so fearfully dan- 
gerous at this time of night,” and strong 
man as he was the Colonel leaned against 
the mantle and buried his face in his hands. 

“My Viva and my Bernard — the same 
day!” he groaned. Then drawing himself 
up quickly, he added: “I’ll go myself 
along the river road; perhaps I’ll be in 
time, perhaps ” 

“Excuse me, sir,” said Miss Morris,’ 


128 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


“but I fear your absence would make 
Madame de Boisvallon and Viva anxious. 
If you’ll allow me, I’ll go myself in search 
of Bernard and take Carlo with me.” 

“Perhaps you are right,” said the Col- 
onel anxiously; “but I will not have you 
go alone. Take some of the servants with 
you and — and if there’s anything amiss 
send for me at once. You’d better try by 
the river first,” he added in a husky voice. 

Miss Morris put on her heavy mantle 
and threw Bernard’s warm cloak over her 
arm, while Michel went to light a lantern 
and unchain Carlo, who came bounding 
with pleasure at the prospect of a walk 
with Miss Morris. 

“Carlo, good dog,” said she; “we must 
find Bernard,” and she showed him the 
child’s cloak. Carlo understood at once 
and ran before them sniffing and whining. 
To her great relief she found that he did 
not turn toward the river, but ran unhesi- 
tatingly toward the high road. 

“Give me the lantern, Michel, and run 
in at once to tell the Colonel that Carlo 


IN THE DARK NIGHT 


129 


has evidently found the scent, and that it 
does not lead toward the river but to the 
hills ; then come on after me as quickly as 
you can,” said Miss Morris, as she hurried 
along the road after Carlo. 

It was but a few minutes after Bernard 
had flung himself down in his despair 
when he heard a deep bark. Was it a wolf 
howling? he wondered. There could be 
no dogs in the woods, unless it were some 
mad dog perhaps. He sprang up in terror 
and started to run, but in the darkness 
caught his foot in one of the bushes and 
fell. A feeling of utter hopelessness came 
over him; he felt he could not run away; 
he could not hide anywhere, could not es- 
cape! “Oh, dear Jesus! Oh, our Lady! 
Save me! I’ll never be naughty any 
more!” he sobbed. The barking came 
nearer and nearer, and all of a sudden the 
child’s heart began to beat faster, but with 
hope this time, for surely he recognized 
Carlo’s deep bark and, scrambling to his 
feet again, he called in answer: “Carlo! 
Carlo!” 


130 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


Another minute and his faithful friend 
was jumping around Bernard, barking 
frantically, licking him all over, then whin- 
ing with pleasure, and laying his great 
head lovingly on his shoulder, while the 
boy threw his arms around the dog’s neck, 
kissed him and cried on his curly coat. He 
did not mind that it was all wet and 
muddy; he no longer felt frightened and 
lonely now that Carlo was there to take 
care of him. A few moments later Miss 
Morris and Michel arrived with the lan- 
tern. 

“Oh, Bernard!” she began reproach- 
fully, but as the light fell on the poor little 
tear-stained face she said no more, but tak- 
ing the child in her arms kissed and com- 
forted him. 

“Is Viva dead?” sobbed Bernard, whose 
sorrow seemed to have returned now that 
he no longer felt frightened and lonely. 

“No, dear. I hope she will soon be quite 
well again,” answered the governess. “It 
was dear Viva who thought of you and 
sent us to look for you, but now we must 


IN THE DARK NIGHT ISl 

hurry home, for Papa is sadly anxious 
and you have greatly added to his trouble 
by running away hke this. If Carlo had 
not found you, we might not have been 
able to know where you were, and God 
only knows what might have happened.” 

While she had been speaking. Miss 
Morris had pulled off Bernard’s wet coat 
and hat and wrapped him up in his cloak 
and hood. Then, finding how exhausted 
the child was, she asked Michel to carry 
him home while she followed and Carlo 
bounded around them. 

“Is Papa very angry? Do you think he 
will ever forgive me. Miss Morris?” asked 
Bernard anxiously, as they neared the 
house. 

“Of course your father has cause to be 
angry with you, dear,” she answered; “but 
Viva begged so hard that he promised to 
forgive you.” 

Bernard hid his face on Michel’s shoul- 
der and sobbed. “You feel sure she won’t 
die?” 

“No, darling, please God; she will soon 


132 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


get over it, for the doctor says she is not 
seriously hurt. Here we are at home, 
thank God! Mind you beg Papa’s par- 
don when you see him.” 

Michel had set the child on his feet 
when they got to the hall door and he 
walked in, hiding behind Miss Morris. 

“Have you found him?” inquired the 
Colonel anxiously, as he hurried down the 
stairs. He looked so worn and aged that 
Bernard forgot his fear of punishment, 
and with a cry of: “Oh, dear, dear Papa! 
Please forgive me!” he ran up to his father 
with outstretched arms. 

The Colonel had been planning all man- 
ner of reproofs, but when he saw the child 
thus running toward him, with such a look 
of sorrow on his pale face, the father for- 
got all the severe things he had meant to 
say as he caught the little fellow up in his 
strong arms. Then for the first time in 
his life Monsieur de Boisvallon perfectly 
understood why God so freely and fully 
forgives the penitent sinner. 

Miss Morris hastened to give Bernard 


IN THE DARK NIGHT 


133 


a hot bath and a vigorous rubbing, then she 
put him to bed, and after he had had a hot 
drink and was tucked up for the night his 
father came in to kiss him good night. 

“Have you said your prayers, Bernard, 
and begged God to forgive you for being 
so naughty?” he asked. “Have you also 
thanked Him for giving you such a sweet, 
unselfish little sister and such a kind Miss 
Morris? And have you asked our Lady 
to watch over little Viva and cure her 
quickly?” 

“Oh, yes, indeed, Papa, I have prayed 
so hard!” said Bernard, with tears in his 
eyes. “Will you forgive me, too, and love 
me just the same as you used to? Maria 
said you and Mamma would never love me 
or speak to me any more.” 

“Maria is a — I mean she is quite mis- 
taken,” said his father impatiently. 
“Fathers and mothers can never help lov- 
ing their children even when they are 
naughty, and they are always ready to for- 
give them when they are sorry for what 
they have done. Remember, you can 


lU FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


always trust in your mother’s love and 
mine, too, whatever happens, and try, dear 
child, never again to cause us all such sor- 
row and anxiety as you have done to-day 
by your wilful disobedience. Good-night 
and God bless you, my little lad! I will 
send Mamma to give you a kiss and then 
you will be able to sleep better, I know.” 

So the Colonel went back to the sick 
room and Madame de Boisvallon came for 
a few minutes to sit by Bernard and talk 
gently to him over the misdeeds of the day, 
and then she knelt down by his bed, and 
they prayed together for Viva’s speedy 
recovery, after which Mamma kissed him 
tenderly and added: “Here is another kiss 
from loving little Viva.” And with those 
kisses on his cheek Bernard softly cried 
himself to sleep. 

Viva soon began to mend, for, thanks 
to her mother’s promptness and presence 
of mind, her burns had not been very deep 
ones. Besides this, she was a wonderfully 
strong, healthy child, and very patient and 
reasonable ; so she was soon able to sit up 


IN THE DARK NIGHT 


135 


in bed and be amused by her kind nurses 
and by her brothers and sister. Solange 
could hardly be persuaded to leave her; 
even rough, noisy Pierre was very atten- 
tive and often delighted her with his com- 
ical drawings, and, as to Bernard, every 
spare minute he had he devoted to amus- 
ing his sister, reading her fairy tales or 
playing with her. He even tried to get 
up an interest in Esmeralda! And he 
made the doll a dress which Viva accepted 
with many thanks, but was sorely puzzled 
how to put on. The little one thoroughly 
enjoyed all this petting, but hers was too 
sweet and sunny a nature to become 
spoiled. 

“It’s so nice to be ill, now I’m better,” 
she would say as she lay back among her 
pillows. “Everybody is so kind to me! 
They play with me and kiss me and call me 
dear and darling, and I drink milk and eat 
oysters and have lots of new toys,” She 
had many visitors, too, and the general 
himself came to see “my little heroine,” as 
he called her. He brought her the loveli- 


1S6 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


est doll, such a beauty that quite put 
Esmeralda in the shade, though Viva, I 
must say, always kept a more special and 
tender love for her rather battered and 
shabby old favorite. As the general’s 
Christian name was Maurice, she called 
her new doll Mauricette, and they had a 
grand party as soon as she was well 
enough to receive all her little friends. 


CHAPTER VIII 


AN UNASSUMING HERO 

B y this time Carlo was two years old 
and had, therefore, become quite a 
full-grown dog and the most beautiful 
Newfoundland you ever set eyes upon. 
The children, and, indeed, the whole 
household were more and more fond of 
him, for not only was he so handsome and 
so lovable, but more than once he had 
given proofs of his courage and sagacity. 

The banks of the Rhone and, indeed, 
many parts of the town were very badly 
frequented, and two or three times of late 
the whole population had been thrown 
into a state of excitement and alarm by 
hearing that people returning home at 
night after balls or theatre parties had 
been attacked and robbed and even badly 
wounded. This had hitherto been so dex- 
terously done that no clue as to the per- 
petrator of these crimes could be found. 
137 


1S8 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


During a sham fight the detachment 
engaged in about this time, a young officer 
belonging to Monsieur de Boisvallon’s 
regiment was thrown from his horse and so 
badly hurt that he had to be carried to the 
military hospital. This building was in a 
street at right angles to the banks of the 
Rhone, not far from the Villa des Mimo- 
sas, if one followed the river, but at a much 
greater distance if one went to it through 
the town. In the afternoon the Colonel 
had been to see the poor fellow, about 
whom he was considerably distressed, 
though he did not think him to be in any 
danger. Later in the evening he was sit- 
ting out in the garden with his wife, en- 
joying the breeze and smoking a cigar, 
when a private arrived in hot haste to tell 
him the young lieutenant was much worse 
and anxious to see him. The doctor had 
told him, he added, to leave this message 
and then hurry on to another part of the 
town in search of the assistant surgeon. 

The Colonel felt very anxious and said, 
as he seized his hat and stick : 


AN UNASSUMING HERO 


139 


“I will run to the hospital along the 
Rhone, for I shall get there so much 
quicker that way.” 

‘'Oh, don’t do that, I beseech you, 
Henri !” cried his wife. “ Y ou know a man 
was half murdered there only last week.” 

The Colonel hesitated: “Well,” he said, 
“if you feel anxious I will take Carlo ; he’s 
a match for two or three men” ; so kissing 
his wife and whistling for Carlo, who came 
frantic with joy at the thought of a run, 
the Colonel hastened out of the garden 
and down to the Rhone. 

The sky was covered with storm clouds 
and the evening so dark that as he hurried 
along the river’s bank the Colonel did not 
feel sorry to think that the big dog was 
close at his heels. He had been going 
along for several minutes undisturbed 
when he was startled by the report of a 
pistol and a howl of pain from Carlo, and 
he was just turning round to see what 
was the matter when he felt himself 
clutched at the throat and almost thrown 
down. 


140 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


But though wounded at the shoulder, 
the brave dog had lost none of his courage, 
and in a second he had sprung on his 
master’s assailant, biting him so viciously 
in the arm that, with a yell of pain the 
man let go of the Colonel and fell under 
Carlo’s weight. The great dog held him 
firmly to the ground, never loosening the 
tight grip of his jaw, until some police- 
men who were on watch in the neighbor- 
hood, hearing the officer’s loud cries for 
help, came rushing to the rescue and se- 
curely pinioned the robber, who still held 
Monsieur de Boisvallon’s watch in his 
hand. 

The Colonel, after having given a short 
account of what had happened, walked on 
to the hospital, which was close by, coax- 
ing poor Carlo to follow him. When 
there one of the surgeons immediately ex- 
tracted the bullet from his shoulder and 
dressed his wound, and you may fancy 
what praise and petting the good dog re- 
ceived, particularly after he had been 


AN UNASSUMING HERO 


141 


driven home, for his master was anxious 
he should not walk. 

The robber turned out to be a most 
dangerous character, who had not only 
committed many thefts of late, but had 
robbed and murdered a poor old woman 
in the neighboring village some weeks be- 
fore. The police had since that time been 
vainly searching for him, so Carlo was 
quite the hero of the hour and had become 
suddenly a famous character. 

A few months later he added to his 
glory, for some school-boys who were fish- 
ing on the breakwaters had ventured to 
the most dangerous part when one of them 
lost his footing and fell into the river, 
where he was being carried along by the 
current toward the water-fall. Carlo, who 
was out on his own account, saw the boy’s 
danger, and dashing into the stream, 
swam out, caught him just in time, and 
struggling bravely against the strong 
current, brought him safely back to shore. 

“Brave Carlo!” said the Colonel 
proudly, as he sat patting the dog that 


14a FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

evening; “they ought really to send him 
a medal for saving life, for this is his sec- 
ond exploit.’’ 

“Oh, they are not likely to do that!” said 
Madame de Boisvallon. “Real merit sel- 
dom is rewarded in this life, but I wish 
you would take him to the Paris dog show. 
I’m sure he ought to win a prize.” 

“Well, it would be considerable ex- 
pense and trouble,” said her husband, 
“and I’m afraid the poor fellow would 
fret at being shut up and away from us 
all for several days; however. I’ll think 
about it, if you really wish it.” 

So a month or two later Carlo was taken 
to Paris to the dog show, and Madame 
de Boisvallon and the children were in 
great excitement, wondering what men- 
tion their favorite would receive. The 
Colonel had telegraphed that he was com- 
ing home with the dog by the night train, 
so they knew he would arrive home before 
they could see the papers; yet he made 
no mention of the result of the show. 

When the carriage drove up to the door 


AN UNASSUMING HERO 


143 


and Monsieur de Boisvallon and Carlo got 
out, the children and their mother crowded 
round them, eagerly asking: 

‘‘What prize? What prize. Papa?” 

“Why,” said the Colonel, trying to put 
on a long face, “you couldn’t expect an 
ugly dog like our Carlo to get a prize ! I 
told you it would be better not to take him 
to the show.” 

“It’s a vile shame!” cried Pierre an- 
grily. “I’m sure there wasn’t any other 
dog there half so handsome as our Carlo. 
It’s all unjust favoritism! I dare say the 
judges were bribed!” 

“Well, I do think it is a shame,” said 
Madame de Boisvallon; “he is such a 
splendid creature.” 

“And he isn’t ugly!” ejaculated Ber- 
nard. 

“Never mind, you dear old Carlo!” said 
warm-hearted Viva, throwing her arms 
around her favorite’s neck. “If they don’t 
think you beautiful, we all do, and we love 
you just as much as if you had won lots 
and lots of prizes.” 


144 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


“That’s my true-hearted little girl,” 
said the Colonel, catching the child up 
in his arms and kissing her; “now for that 
pretty speech you deserve to hear the good 
news. See here!” he added, holding up 
two beautiful, glittering medals. “He has 
the first prize in the Newfoundland class 
and the special medal for the all-around 
finest dog in the show! Now are you sat- 
isfied?” 

“Hurrah! Vive Carlo!” shouted the 
children, dancing with delight. 

“Vive Carlo!” shouted the servants, who 
had gathered in the background to hear 
the news. 

“I must give him another hug,” said 
Viva. 

“Papa,” said Solange, “will he wear 
his medals on a Sunday? You know you 
wear your Legion of Honor medal.” 

“It would be rather difficult to pin them 
safely to his coat,” said her father, laugh- 
ing, “but you might perhaps tie them to 
the tip of his tail.” 

“Why, no. Papa!” said Solange indig- 


AN UNASSUMING HERO 


145 


nantly. “But couldn’t he wear them hang- 
ing to his collar?” 

“Oh! I’m so glad,” interrupted Ber- 
nard, “that I feel as happy as I did when 
all the drums beat and the general pinned 
the Cross of the Legion of Honor on 
Papa.” 

“I know what you mean,” said Solange; 
“that was when the general gave Papa a 
bang on the shoulder with his sword and 
then kissed him to make it up.” 

“Ha! That’s a rich description of that 
stately ceremony!” said her father, laugh- 
ing; “however, I don’t wonder you all are 
glad that Carlo has these prizes. He’s such 
a good dog that he deserves all he can get. 
He is such an intelligent animal, too, that 
he behaved beautifully at the show. He 
did not mope or whine, but seemed to 
know he was there to be admired, and 
looked so important and dignified. But 
now, my dears, if you don’t mind. Carlo 
and I would be glad of a good breakfast 
and a thorough rest, for we both are 
hungry and tired.” 


146 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


Carlo was not one bit puffed up by all 
his honors, but did justice to his pail of 
soup from the barracks just as if he were 
the most ordinary dog in creation, and 
then honored the servants by stretching 
himself before the kitchen fire and gnaw- 
ing a bone that Andrea had kept for him, 
after which he gravely walked off to his 
bed in the stables. 

After dinner that evening he came to 
the drawing-room door and barked for 
admittance. He was received with much 
joy by the children, and soon stretched 
himself full length before the hearth, 
while Viva and Solange, curled on the 
rug beside him, used him for a pillow. 

‘T wonder if we’ll ever have medals 
when we grow up?” said Viva after a 
time. 

“Well, I suppose I shall,” said Pierre, 
“for I want to be an admiral some day 
like grandpa. I think admirals always 
have medals.” 

“I shall be a missionary bishop,” said 
Bernard gravely. “I’m afraid they never 


AN UNASSUMING HERO 


147 


get medals. What are vou going to be, 
Viva?” 

“I?” answered she unhesitatingly. ‘‘I 
mean to be a grandmamma.” 

Both the boys burst into a derisive peal 
of laughter, and poor Viva colored up 
painfully. 

“You should not laugh so unkindly at 
your little sister,” said their father, look- 
ing up from the paper he was reading. 
“Her wish is much more likely to come 
true than either of yours, for you, Pierre, 
may, I hope, become a naval officer, if 
you work hard enough, but it’s a hundred 
chances to one you will never be an ad- 
miral; nor you a bishop, my dear Ber- 
nard, though you may be a good mis- 
sionary priest some day. I daresay Viva 
has some good reason for her apparently 
strange wish. Why do you want to be- 
come a grandmother and not a mother, 
my darling?” 

Viva blushed. “It’s because,” she said 
shyly, “mammas are good, oh, ever so 
good!” she added with a loving glance at 


148 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


her own mother, “but they are often 
obliged to scold and punish when one is 
naughty. If they did not, God might be 
angry with them and they’d fall back dead 
like Heli, who brought up little Samuel. 
I’m so glad Mamma scolds us sometimes, 
so there’s no fear of God’s punishing her. 
Now, grandmammas need not scold or 
punish one bit; they haven’t got ’ponsa- 
bilities, as Mamma says she has, so they 
can just kiss and spoil one as much as they 
like and give everybody lots of candy and 
toys and nice things. I should like that — 
to be able to give heaps of things to people 
and make everybody happy.” 

Her father smiled. “That’s right, little 
one,” he said, “and I hope my darling will 
succeed in making every one around her 
happy long before she is a grandmamma; 
indeed, I feel sure she will, if she con- 
tinues to be a good, loving little girl.” 

A few weeks later the Colonel received 
by the mail a letter and a small box, and 
what do you think it contained? Why, a 
gold medal for Carlo for having so gal- 


AN UNASSUMING HERO 149 

lantly saved two lives! The children’s 
joy was unbounded, and as they walked 
along with him in the street Bernard felt 
as if he must shout out to every passer- 
by: “Look at our beautiful dog! He is 
the finest and the best in the world, and he 
has three medals, but Papa will not let 
him wear them for fear they might get 
lost!” 


CHAPTER IX 

SAILING “la GENEVIVA” 

I T IS now more than a year since our 
story began and several months since 
Bernard so nearly caused the death of his 
little sister. He had very truly and ear- 
nestly resolved never to be naughty or dis- 
obedient again, but though on the whole 
he had much improved, there were times 
when his insubordination and ill-temper 
still got the better of him. 

Except for these fits of naughtiness he 
was a very loving and lovable little fel- 
low, earnestly devout in his childish way, 
a charming companion and very winning 
in his manners. He was always full of 
remorse for his faults and made no end 
of good resolutions never to offend again, 
but, alas! he did not always keep them, 
and while the fit of temper was on him he 
looked upon himself as a much ill-used 
and imappreciated little boy. 

150 


SAILING “LA GENEVIVA” 


151 


It was about the middle of June, and 
the heat was intense, especially at the 
middle of the day. The deep blue sky and 
brilliant sunshine made the scenery love- 
lier than ever, but the Rhone, though as 
blue as the sky itself, was very full, owing 
to the melting of the snow in the Alps, 
and it rushed along like an angry torrent. 
The rocks of the breakwater could barely 
be seen above the water, and the treacher- 
ous currents were even more violent than 
usual, so that the Colonel had forbidden 
any one to throw sticks into the water for 
Carlo, for strong dog though he was, he 
might have been carried away by the cruel 
waters or injured and even killed against 
the rocks. 

The children had been particularly 
good at their lessons all the week, and had 
therefore earned their right to a treat, so 
when Thursday came they hoped their 
father would take them to sail La Gene- 
viva, but he positively refused to do so. 
He explained to them that the heat was 
so great they might one and all get a sun- 


152 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


stroke and that the water was so high 
and the currents so strong their yacht 
would surely be carried away and lost 
altogether, to say nothing of little boys 
running the chance of falling into the 
water and getting drowned. 

Pierre understood his father’s explana- 
tions at once and very philosophically 
went off to find other amusements during 
the half holiday. Bernard, however, was 
not so easily persuaded. He begged and 
coaxed and pleaded, and finally got into a 
passion and was sent up to his own room 
and told he should go to bed immediately 
after dinner that day, instead of romping 
with his father as usual. 

That afternoon Bernard sat in his room 
and brooded over his wrongs, for, of 
course, as usual, he would not admit that 
he had been to blame himself. 

“The boat could have sailed quite 
nicely,” he kept repeating, and Father 
would not give them their treat though 
they had earned it, just because he dis- 
liked hot weather. The rocks were well 


SAILING “LA GENEVIVA” 153 

above water ; he had seen them, seen them 
with his own eyes, and La Geneviva would 
have spun along beautifully. No amount 
of reasoning could persuade him to the 
contrary, and, in spite of Viva’s attempts 
to comfort him and Miss Morris’s efforts 
to show him how foolish and naughty he 
was, he remained cross and sore at heart 
all day. He did not care for his paints 
or books, he would not play with Viva or 
the little ones, or help Pierre to arrange 
their stamp collection, but remained a 
very sullen and miserable little boy all the 
afternoon. 

For the next two days it was still so 
piping hot that the children started out 
with their governess at six o’clock in the 
morning and took their long walks be- 
fore breakfast. Even with the broadest of 
broad-brimmed hats, the biggest of um- 
brellas or sunshades, and the scantiest of 
clothing, the broiling sun was not bearable 
during the daytime. When sitting per- 
fectly still indoors with all windows closed 
one was in a perfect bath; so every one 


154 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


was languid and unwilling for any exer- 
tions. After lunch all the younger ones 
were put to bed, where they were soon 
fast asleep, while the rest of the family 
sat about reading or playing some very 
quiet game. 

On Saturday afternoon Miss Morris 
was sitting at her desk very busy over her 
correspondence, and Bernard, settled at a 
little table at her side, was apparently 
quite engrossed over his painting book. 
The young governess had paused in her 
writing to look at him and was thinking 
how beautiful the child looked in his be- 
coming white sailor suit. Just then he 
suddenly announced that he was tired of 
painting and would like to go down and 
talk to Pierre, who was reading down- 
stairs in the big room which served as day 
nursery. 

“Very well, you may go if you like, but 
you must put away all your painting ma- 
terials first, and be careful you don’t make 
any noise on the stairs or else you’ll wake 


SAILING ‘‘LA GENEVIVA” 


155 


the little ones,” and so saying she went on 
with her writing. 

Now, that naughty little Bernard had 
no wish to talk to Pierre. For the last 
two days he had been thinking of nothing 
but of La Geneviva and of his disappoint- 
ment, and on this eventful Saturday, as 
he sat there pretending to paint, he had 
been concocting a little plan for sailing 
the boat all by himself. He had noticed 
how engrossed Miss Morris was with her 
writing, and, remembering that the yacht 
was at anchor on the pond in the garden, 
thought that now or never was his oppor- 
tunity. 

To be sure, his conscience pricked him ; 
he knew that he had been forbidden to go 
out in the hot sun or to wander in the 
street by himself without permission. 
Still more had he been forbidden to handle 
the Geneviva, for she was too heavy for 
such a small boy to lift. 

But, then, why had Papa been so un- 
kind and unjust in depriving him of the 


156 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


pleasure he had really earned? And was 
not La Geneviva partly his own? 

So he stifled conscience and crept 
stealthily downstairs, dreading to meet 
some one who would ask him what he was 
about. In the hall he reached down his 
sun hat and then crept past the half-closed 
door of the drawing-room, where his 
mother was resting, and turning toward 
the kitchen, passed noiselessly through the 
scullery and out into the garden. 

His heart beat fast as he saw La Gene- 
viva on the pond, her snow-white sails 
reflected in the still waters, looking so 
proud and queenly and elegant. She was 
indeed a beautiful ship! If only he could 
get her out of the garden gate without 
being seen! Fortunately, as he thought, 
all the shutters on that side of the house 
were closed to keep out the burning rays 
of the sun, so nobody was likely to notice 
him, but how was he to carry the yacht to 
the river? Ah! there was the toy chariot 
that his father had made for them to wheel 
her on, and which that untidy Pierre had 


SAILING ‘‘LA GENEVIVA’ 


157 


used for something else and then left by 
the pond under the willow tree. 

He would put La Geneviva onto it, and 
only hoped the sound of wheels would not 
make any one look out of a window. 

With great trouble Bernard finally suc- 
ceeded in lifting the boat out of the water 
and onto the chariot, which he quickly 
wheeled to the garden gate and out into 
the deserted street. Both his mother and 
Miss Morris heard the sound of wheels, 
but as they were quite unsuspicious they 
thought it was the gardener taking his 
barrow load of rubbish down to the 
Rhone, as he often did, and only wondered 
at his having the courage to work in such 
broiling heat. Even Carlo, who was lying 
asleep in a cool cellar, left open for his 
special benefit, took no notice of the fa- 
miliar step. 

When well outside the gate and by him- 
self Bernard’s heart smote him. He 
seemed to hear his mother’s voice reproach 
him, and to see the look of sorrow on the 
face he loved so dearly, in spite of all his 


158 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


naughtiness, and fancied he heard Miss 
Morris say: “Oh, Bernard! How could 
you tell me such an untruth when you 
knew I trusted you?” 

For a minute he hesitated and thought 
of turning back, but there, in front of him, 
sparkled the beautiful blue Rhone, and 
stifling down his remorse he drew his 
chariot on toward the river. The rocks 
were not quite covered; he could see the 
tips of them well above the water, and 
how lovely the yacht would look on that 
bright, sparkling stream! The chariot, 
however, jolted painfully over the stones 
and rubbish on the river’s bank and the 
heat and sun were fairly overpowering, so 
that the child felt almost dizzy and the 
perspiration streamed down his face by 
the time he reached the pathway leading 
down to the river’s brim. There he was 
at last, and with great difficulty he pushed 
La Geneviva off into the water. How 
lovely she looked as she dipped and sprang 
gaily on the little waves ! Her white sails 
seemed to glisten in the brilliant sunshine, 


SAILING “LA GENEVIVA” 159 


and just a puff of wind filled them and 
made her sail along, looking prettier than 
she had ever done before, he thought, just 
like some white bird upon the wing. How 
he wished Mamma, Miss Morris, and dear 
Viva were there to see it, too ! But then he 
recollected how far from pleased the two 
former would be with him. 

All at once his beating heart seemed to 
stand still! For he saw La Geneviva 
caught by the current and fairly flying 
toward the rocks. What if she should be 
dashed to pieces against them? What if 
she should be carried right over them and 
broken over the waterfall! His dear, 
pretty boat ! The very thought was mad- 
dening, and forgetful of all danger, he 
sprang upon the breakwater and ran from 
bowlder to bowlder, hoping to get to the 
yacht in time to save her. She was close 
to the breakwater, and he had just reached 
her in time and was stretching out his little 
brown hands toward her when his feet 
slipped on the dangerous rocks and with 


160 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

a wild shriek of terror he fell into the rush- 
ing waters. 

Meanwhile Miss Morris had been seized 
with a vague uneasiness, she knew not 
why, and after struggling against it for a 
few minutes she had left her writing and 
gone down to see if the children were all 
right. She was much astonished to hear 
that Maria and Pierre had seen nothing 
of Bernard, and hurried down to see if he 
were with his mother. Not finding him 
there, the governess felt more and more 
anxious, and seizing her garden hat, hur- 
ried out into the shrubberies, fearing the 
child should have gone out at the risk of 
receiving a sunstroke. 

Carlo heard her step and came immedi- 
ately, sure of getting a walk or at any rate 
a petting. He ran up to Miss Morris just 
as, on reaching the pond, she noticed with 
alarm La Genevivas disappearance and 
the garden gate open. With a beating 
heart she hurried out of the garden and 
fairly ran down to the river, with Carlo 
bounding along beside her. In a few sec- 


SAILING “LA GENEVIVA’ 


161 


onds she was on the river’s bank, and her 
heart seemed to stand still with horror, for 
there was La Geneviva beating against 
the rocks and beside it something white 
struggling in the water! For an instant 
she seemed paralyzed and felt as one does 
in some awful nightmare when one can 
neither move nor scream. At last she 
found strength to cry: ‘‘Our Bernard! 
Carlo, save him! Save him!” But he, 
brave dog, had already seen his little 
master in the water and was flying rather 
than running down to the river, where he 
bounded into the water and in spite of the 
current managed to swim across and catch 
Bernard’s blouse in his mouth just as the 
boy was about to disappear for the third 
time. 

Miss Morris had rushed down to the 
rocks and stood in agonized suspense as 
she saw the poor dog vainly endeavoring 
to swim out of the current and back to 
land with his burden. He struggled with 
all his might, but again and again the 


163 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


cruel water caught him and dragged him 
on toward the rocks. 

Miss Morris had fallen on her knees, 
crying: “Oh, Mary, dear Mother, help 
me, save our Bernard!” Suddenly she 
reahzed that although Carlo could not 
swim against the current, burdened as he 
was, he could easily go toward the break- 
water, and heedless of her own danger, she 
sprang upon the almost submerged bowl- 
ders and called to Carlo to bring Bernard 
to her. The good dog understood at once, 
and stooping down, the governess suc- 
ceeded in catching hold of the child and 
lifting him out of the water before he 
struck against the rocks. 

Now freed from his burden, good Carlo 
was able to swim ashore, but Miss Morris 
dared not attempt to move now that she 
had the child in her arms. Again she 
earnestly prayed our Lady to send her 
help, and just then she heard the vigorous 
stroke of oars, and a few minutes later 
both she and Bernard were safely helped 
into a rowboat, which had been coming to 


SAILING “LA GENE VIVA” 163 

their assistance from the other side of the 
river. 

‘‘But we couldn’t have got over in time 
to save the little boy, Miss, if it had not 
been for your dog,” said the man. 

Madame de Boisvallon and Miss Mor- 
ris never knew how they got through the 
fearful anxiety of the next few hours. 
The Colonel was away with his regiment 
and their own doctor had gone out of 
town for a few days. 

Fortunately, a clever young doctor had 
lately come to settle quite near the Villa 
des Mimosas. He came at once, and 
proved both devoted and efficient. For a 
long time there seemed no hope of bring- 
ing life back to the child, but at last, 
thanks to the doctor’s energetic measures 
and untiring perseverance, there were 
faint signs of returning consciousness, and 
after what seemed years of suspense to the 
agonized watchers Bernard slowly opened 
his dark eyes and murmured, “Mamma!” 

Miss Morris had been invaluable in 
helping the doctor during this long 


164! FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


struggle against death, and her confident 
faith in our Lady had given hope and 
courage to the distracted mother. As 
soon as she heard the doctor’s joyful ex- 
clamation; “Ah, the little fellow is saved 
now!” her happiness was so great she felt 
as if the room and the child and every one 
were swimming around her, and she would 
have fallen to the ground had not the doc- 
tor caught her in his arms and carried her 
to a couch. 

Though Miss Morris soon rallied from 
her faint, it was many days before she was 
quite herself again, and more than two 
weeks elapsed before Bernard was able 
to leave his room. The effect of the broil- 
ing sunshine added to his all but drowning 
had brought on violent fever, and for 
many days he was so ill as to cause the 
greatest anxiety. Even after he was out 
of all danger he was a long time regaining 
his strength. 

The young doctor was very assiduous 
in his visits, and always happened to come 
just when it was Miss Morris’ time to be 


SAILING «LA GENEVIVA” 165 


taking her share of the nursing. Very 
soon Madame de Boisvallon smilingly be- 
gan to notice with what admiration he 
looked at the girl, and how much they 
seemed to have to talk about as Miss Mor- 
ris walked down to the gate to let him 
out. 

He had strictly forbidden that for a 
time anything should be said which could 
recall the occurrences of that eventful 
Saturday to his little patient, so it was 
not until one day when Bernard was con- 
valescent and sitting out in the garden 
propped up in an armchair with Carlo 
lying at his feet and Miss Morris working 
beside him that he said timidly. “It was 
you who came and saved me from drown- 
ing, wasn’t it, dear Miss Morris, and IVe 
never thanked you yet! Have you quite 
forgiven me for being so naughty?” 

“Yes, darling, long ago,” she answered, 
kissing him tenderly, “but it was not I 
who saved you. It was Carlo.” Then she 
told him how bravely the good dog had 
struggled to bring him back to land and 


166 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


how he had been hurt in doing so. Ber- 
nard’s eyes filled with tears as he stroked 
his favorite’s head; then taking Miss 
Morris’s hand in his, he asked f alteringly : 
“Miss Morris, dear — and — La Gene- 
viva?'^ 

Miss Morris looked sad. “Poor, pretty 
La Geneviva!" she said at last. “We shall 
never be able to sail her again ! That must 
be your punishment, dear Bernard, 
though it is all the harder on those who 
had done nothing to deserve this, you see. 
We must only be thankful that you were 
not drowned, as you certainly would have 
been if God had not put it into my heart 
to go to look for you, and if our Lady had 
not listened to our prayers for your re- 
covery. We were so anxious about you 
that we never thought of trying to save 
the boat, and she was carried away by the 
current and went right over the water- 
fall. When some boatmen finally found 
her and brought her home she was a mere 
wreck and quite past repair. Your mother 
has locked her up in one of her cupboards 


SAILING “LA GENEVIVA” 167 


and will show her to you some day. If 
you ever again feel tempted to disobey 
and rebel against your kind parents you 
must think of La Geneviva and of all the 
trouble that your wilfulness and disobedi- 
ence have caused.” 

Bernard’s tears fell fast as he thought 
of his much-loved yacht and of all the 
pleasure they had had seeing her sail so 
gallantly before the breeze, and it was 
long before he could summon up courage 
to ask his mother to show it to him. He 
cried sadly when he saw her all crushed 
and battered. 

But he never forgot the lesson, and this 
was the last time he ever rebelled against 
those in authority over him. 


CHAPTER X 
Bernard’s trustful prayer 

T he summer holidays were coming 
round once more and the children 
were looking forward to their annual treat 
of going to Auvergne. 

“Won’t you be glad to stay at Aunt de 
Floquin’s again, Miss Morris?” said Ber- 
nard. “We always have such fine times 
there, don’t we?” 

Miss Morris blushed and hesitated. At 
last she answered rather falteringly: 
“Well, I had not meant to tell you just 
yet, dears, but I shall not go with you this 
year.” 

“Not go with us!” exclaimed all the 
children. “Why not? Are you going to 
England for a holiday again?” 

“Why, no — I’m — I’m — Oh, well,” she 
said at last, with a laugh, “I’m going to be 
married as soon as the holidays begin.” 
“Going to be married. Miss Morris!” 
168 


BERNARD'S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 169 


exclaimed Bernard in such a tone of con- 
sternation that the governess said smil- 
ingly: 

‘‘Don’t look so distressed, children. 
One would think I’d just told you I was 
going to he executed.” 

“But then you’ll leave us altogether,” 
continued Viva, her eyes filling with tears. 

“Well, yes, I shall have to leave you; 
hut I shall not live far away, and we can 
see each other ever so often. You haven’t 
asked me whom I am going to marry yet 
— now guess !” she added with a smile. 

The children were silent a minute, then 
Pierre exclaimed : 

“I have it ! It’s young Doctor Fleury !” 

“Yes,” said Miss Morris, “and I’m to 
be married from this house. Gaston and 
I mean to ask your parents to allow Ber- 
nard to be best man and Viva and Solange 
to be my little bridesmaids.” 

“How lovely!” cried the children, clap- 
ping their hands. 

“And what will Pierre do?” cried loyal 
little Bernard, who never wished his 


170 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


brother left out of anything. “He is the 
eldest; he ought to be best man.” 

“So he ought, perhaps — but — ” Miss 
Morris was going to say: “It was Bernard 
who caused us to know one another,” then 
realized that it would look like giving him 
a reward for his disobedience, so she 
added: “I think you’re right, Bernard; 
we will have Pierre for best man and you 
can be my train-bearer. Will that please 
you all?” 

“Yes, that’s fine!” they all cried, “but, 
oh! we wish you weren’t going to leave 
us! We’ll never get such a dear Miss 
Morris again !” 

When the eventful day came around 
and their grandmother and Aunt Rita 
and the de Floquins were all there for the 
occasion, the children were in a wild state 
of pleasure and excitement. 

The fair, graceful young bride looked 
very charming and happy in her wedding 
gown, and nothing could have been pret- 
tier than the two little bridesmaids. They 
had dainty frocks of pale rose-colored silk 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 171 


with flounces of Valenciennes lace and hats 
to match, trimmed with Cecil Bruner 
roses. Even they, however, hardly at- 
tracted so much notice as Bernard, in the 
complete costume of a page of the time 
of the Cavaliers. As for Pierre, he was 
very proud of being best man and com- 
ported himself with a great deal of dig- 
nity for such a young boy. 

Toward the end of the ceremony he 
escorted Viva and Bernard conducted 
Solange as the two little girls passed the 
plate for the usual offering for the poor. 
The church was packed, and the children 
had been so carefully drilled for this that 
they did it with perfect grace and such 
winning' smiles that they collected an un- 
usually large amount. 

Altogether the ceremony was very 
charming and impressive, and when the 
young couple walked out of church they 
looked so handsome and so happy that 
there was a perfect chorus of praise and 
congratulations. 

When the wedding-breakfast was over, 


in FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


however, and the carriage stood at the 
door, the bride in her very becoming tail- 
ored suit bent down to kiss and hug each 
of the dear children with tears in her eyes, 
for she felt parting with them very much. 
She kept her composure pretty well until 
she turned to take leave of Madame 
de Boisvallon, who had been the dearest 
and kindest of friends to her during the 
four years they had been together. Fall- 
ing into her extended arms, she burst into 
tears, exclaiming: 

“Oh! I never thought I could leave 
you!’’ 

“You must not feel as if leaving us 
altogether,” said Madame de Boisvallon, 
smiling through her tears. “My home 
will always be open to you whenever you 
care to come to it, and you will always 
find in me a sister’s love. Remember that, 
dear, and be very, very happy in your new 
life. Now don’t let Gaston see you cry,” 
she added, as the bridegroom came for- 
ward looking rather anxious. “I’m giv- 
ing up a great treasure to you,” she added 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 173 

as she shook hands with him; ‘‘mind you 
are worthy of her.” 

Not only did they all feel the parting 
with Miss Morris very much, but there 
were to be other changes that summer, for 
Pierre was to go far away to boarding- 
school after the holidays and Madame de 
Boisvallon felt not a little sad at this first 
flight from the nest. 

“Why,Therese !” exclaimed the Colonel, 
“It isn’t as if we were really parting with 
the child. We shall have him home for 
the holidays.” 

“Yes, for the holidays!” said his mother 
with a sigh, “but never to really live at 
home again. It will be school, and col- 
lege, and training-ship now, until he is a 
full-fledged naval officer. You may say 
what you like, Henri, but it is the first 
bird leaving the home nest.” 

The next day the children started for 
Auvergne under the care of their grand- 
mother and the Countess de Floquin, for 
Madame de Boisvallon had many things 
to attend to before she could join them, 


174 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


and Aunt Rita stayed behind to help her. 

The children felt rather depressed over 
this, as they stood rather in dread of this 
grandmother. In France there is a differ- 
ent name for the mother’s mother, who is 
called honne’Tnaman, and the father’s 
mother, who is called grandmother, and 
when Viva had wished to be a grand- 
mother because she could spoil every one 
and make people happy she had certainly 
not been thinking of bonne-maman. The 
Vicomtesse de Montcouvoir was a stately, 
haughty, and very beautiful woman. 
Though kind hearted and passionately 
fond of her grandchildren, she was by 
nature a strict disciplinarian, very quick 
tempered, and rather embittered by the 
many troubles and disappointments she 
had experienced in life. 

The children, therefore, always found 
a stay with her rather a mixed pleasure, 
but until then they had always had their 
mother or Miss Morris to smoothe things 
over for them, and now they felt not a 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 175 


little nervous under the sharp eyes and 
sharper tongue of honne-maman. 

It had been thought best that the boys 
should do some httle work during the holi- 
days, and a tutor was to come to them 
twice a week. The Vicomtesse’s second 
son and his wife and child were staying 
in the neighborhood, and it was settled 
that this boy, Emile, should come and join 
Pierre in his lessons. Madame de Bois- 
vallon had not been greatly pleased at 
this, as her nephew, who was several years 
older than any of her children, was badly 
brought up, and she did not trust him at 
all. Still, of course, she could hardly re- 
fuse to allow her own brother’s son to 
work with her boys. 

Emile was woefully spoiled by his 
mother, occasionally almost harshly pun- 
ished by his father. Captain de Mont- 
couvoir, who was anything but satisfied 
with the boy, yet had no gift of managing 
him. 

The de Boisvallon children did not like 
their cousin, who was an incessant tease. 


176 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


and who was both arrogant and boastful, 
though a coward at heart. If crossed in 
any way he had sullen fits of ill temper, 
and always had the knack of getting 
others into trouble for his misdeeds. 

The little room where the boys were 
allowed to study and where each of the 
three had his own desk was next to the 
Vicomtesse’s private library and studio. 
This room she strictly forbade any of the 
children to enter. To begin with, she 
feared they might meddle with her paints, 
and, secondly, there were among her books 
many which were quite unfit for them to 
read. 

On one of their free days Emile came 
to his grandmother’s thinking he would 
be able to play with his cousins, which 
generally meant tormenting them. He 
found, however, that their maid had taken 
them all to the de Floquin’s and that his 
grandmother was out for the afternoon, 
having driven out to a friend’s chateau 
several miles away. 

The boy pretended he was going home. 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 177 

then, when he knew the servants were not 
looking, he sneaked into the Vicomtesse’s 
studio and got a book of hers which he 
had been specially forbidden to read. It 
was a beautiful edition of the work, bound 
in vellum and one of his grandmother’s 
most prized possessions. 

He went into the schoolroom with it 
and sat down to read at Pierre’s desk, 
which was the one nearest the studio door. 
The boy was so engrossed with the story 
that he never noticed the sound of a car- 
riage driving in, and it was not until he 
heard voices in the courtyard that he real- 
ized with horror that he might be caught 
in the act of disobeying. He intended to 
slip the book into Pierre’s desk and then 
hasten to his own and pretend to be study- 
ing. In his hurry and excitement, how- 
ever, he upset Pierre’s inkstand, and in a 
few seconds not only the precious book, 
but Emile’s fingers and sailor suit were 
all covered with great dabs of ink. Has- 
tily wiping what he could with his hand- 
kerchief, the boy threw the volume into 


178 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


Pierre’s desk and hurried to leave the 
room. In doing so, however, he was seen 
by Madame de Floquin and Yvonne, who 
had been out driving and had come to call 
on the Vicomtesse. Not finding her at 
home, they were looking for the children, 
and wondered to see Emile thus shunning 
them and disappearing all stained with 
ink. 

Just then a maid came to tell them that 
the children had walked over to see them, 
and they hurried back to their carriage 
and thought no more of young de Mont- 
couvoir. 

The next morning when the three boys 
were coming into the schoolroom with 
their tutor they found their grandmother 
standing there, fairly trembling with 
anger as she held out the precious book 
all covered with ink. 

Without making any inquiries about 
the matter she began storming at Pierre, 
asking him how he had dared to disobey 
her by going into her studio, reading such 
a book as this, and ruining it as he had 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 179 


done. She accused him of being deceit- 
ful, dishonest, unworthy of being her 
grandson — indeed, the Vicomtesse was so 
beside herself with rage that she hardly 
knew what she was saying. 

Poor Pierre looked dumbfounded. Of 
course he knew nothing about the book, 
and stoutly denied he had ever touched it 
much less read it or spilled ink on it. This 
only angered his grandmother the more. 
Hadn’t she the proof of his guilt by hav- 
ing found the volume in his desk, and was 
he not adding to his villainies by thus de- 
liberate telling of an untruth? 

‘T am not telling an untruth, bonne- 
mamanf" said Pierre, drawing himself up 
and looking very white. ‘T have never 
told a lie in my life. You can ask 
Mamma.” 

“Oh, of course, your mother always 
thinks you perfection!” said his grand- 
mother angrily. “But she shall hear of 
this ; indeed, I have a great mind to send 
you back to her and tell her I won’t have 
you in my house.” 


180 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


“Then I’ll go back too,” said Bernard 
hotly, as he threw his arm round his 
brother’s neck. “I know our Pierre 
didn’t do such a thing; I’m sure he 
wouldn’t tell an untruth. I don’t know 
who did it,” he added with a side glance 
at Emile, whom he suspected, “but I 
know it wasn’t Pierre.” 

“And please, what right have you to 
interfere, you impudent little boy,” said 
the Vicomtesse sharply. “Hold your 
tongue or I’ll punish you as well as your 
brother.” 

“Oh, you can, if you like,” said Ber- 
nard quietly. “Perhaps I deserve it, but 
I know he doesn’t. He never went into 
the schoolroom without me yesterday, and 
I know he never went into your studio. 
Besides Pierre always tells the truth.” 

“Is Madame quite sure of it’s being 
Pierre,” suggested the tutor, who was 
very fond of the de Boisvallons, and had 
no liking for Emile. “There are others 
who use the schoolroom,” he added point- 
edly. 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 181 


“Yes, but only on lesson days, and this 
must have been done yesterday, for I had 
the book in my hand yesterday morning.” 

“But we were all out until dinner-time, 
honne-maman'^ cried Viva. 

“What do you children mean by inter- 
rupting?” cried the Vicomtesse. “I know 
well enough what I have to do. Pierre, 
go up to your room. You may stay there 
until your mother arrives the day after 
to-morrow. I shall send you up plently 
of bread and water so that you shall not 
starve, but you shall only come down to 
walk by yourself for half an hour every 
day. I won’t see or speak to you. I con- 
sider you unworthy of it. Bernard, you 
shall have no dessert for the rest of the 
week.” 

All this time Emile stood by com- 
placently, immensely relieved that he had 
not been the one to encounter such a 
storm. 

Without a word Pierre left the room, 
and running upstairs threw himself on his 
bed and burst into tears. He had been 


182 


FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


too proud to cry before the others, but 
now he was alone he couldn’t help it and 
keep up any longer. But he was not 
alone, for Bernard had followed him up 
and flung his arms around his brother, ex- 
claiming. 

“Don’t cry, Pierre! We all know you 
didn’t do it, and the good God knows it 
too, and if we only pray hard enough I 
know He will make it come out all right. 
Poor, dear Pierre,” he added lovingly, 
hugging his brother as if he thought the 
harder he squeezed the more he could com- 
fort him. 

And Pierre was intensely comforted by 
his brother’s sympathy, and the child’s 
simple faith gave him courage, so that he 
determined to bear his trouble patiently 
and trust in being righted in time. 

“Oh, if only Mamma does not believe 
this!” he exclaimed with a sob. 

“Mamma! You may be sure she won’t 
believe it,” answered Bernard. “She 
knows you couldn’t tell an untruth.” 

“Yes, I hope so,” said Pierre. “Now, 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 183 


Bernard dear, you must run down to les- 
sons, but come and see me again if grand- 
ma will let you.” 

“She better not try to prevent mel” 
said Bernard hotly. 

“Oh, Bernard! Don’t make matters 
worse by being naughty with her. That 
surely would grieve Mamma.” 

“You are right,” answered Bernard. 
“Stil I’ll manage to come somehow. You 
pray hard and so will Viva and I and all 
of us,” and with another loving hug, Ber- 
nard hurried down stairs. 

The day was a wretched one for every- 
body. All the children, even to little 
Solange, were distressed at the disgrace of 
their elder brother, whom they all looked 
up to so much, and they were indignant 
at what they felt to be an injustice, so they 
were silent and listless when with their 
grandmother. 

At meals the Vicomtesse felt not a little 
troubled when she noticed that Bernard 
took nothing but bread and water. She 
was beginning to wonder if she had not 


184 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

been too hasty and dreaded to bring on a 
scene with her favorite grandson; so she 
pretended not to notice this, but managed 
to keep him in sight all the rest of the day 
so that he should not go up to his brother. 

As soon as the children were sent to 
bed Viva and Solange ran in to kiss Pierre 
good night and tell him how sorry they 
felt for him and how sure that he hadn’t 
done this. Then Bernard also slipped 
into his brother’s room, and the two lads 
said their rosary together and comforted 
each other. 

The next day was Sunday, and Pierre 
was sent to early Mass with the maid, 
while all the others solemnly accompanied 
their grandmother to High Mass. 

When they came home Bernard ran 
into his brother’s room, his face radiant 
with a happy smile. 

“Did the good God say anything to 
you, Pierre?” he inquired of his brother. 
I told Him all about it; of course He 
knows it all, much more about it than we 
do indeed, but it’s such a comfort to just 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 185 


tell Him everything, isn’t it? And, do 
you know, I’m sure He answered me and 
told me it would all come right this very 
day. It seemed just as if He took a big 
stone off my heart when He told me that.” 

Pierre smiled and tried to be convinced 
that it would be so, but his faith, though 
earnest, was not so perfectly childlike as 
was Bernard’s. 

That afternoon Madame de Floquin 
and Yvonne came to beg the Vicomtesse 
to allow the children to go driving with 
them and were much distressed to hear of 
Pierre being in punishment. When they 
heard the cause of it Madame de Floquin 
exclaimed : 

“Oh, but I feel sure it was not Pierre 
who did that. To begin with, the child 
is perfectly truthful; secondly, I think I 
can prove who was the culprit. Was it 
violet ink there was on the book?” 

“Yes,” answered the Vicomtesse. 

Then Madame de Floquin related how 
they had seen Emile sneaking out of the 
side door of the schoolroom that after- 


186 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 


noon, his hands and blouse all over violet 
ink. 

‘‘But it is impossible!” exlaimed his 
grandmother. “Emile was there while I 
was scolding and punishing Pierre. He 
could not be such a dishonorable lad as to 
let his cousin be punished for what he had 
done!” 

“Dear Madame, those are the facts 
though. Yvonne and I went into the 
schoolroom, and with a sheet of blotting- 
paper we found lying about I finished 
wiping up the ink from the desk. It was 
perfectly fresh, and the servants had just 
told me the de Boisvallon children had 
left the house two hours before.” 

Leaving the Countess and Yvonne with 
the children, the Vicomtesse hurried to 
her son’s house and the first thing she saw 
was Emile’s sailor blouse lying on the 
lawn with lemon and salt covering great 
stains of violet ink. 

Needless to say that she had no longer 
any doubt as to who was the guilty one, 
and her indignation against Emile was 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 187 


still greater than it had been with Pierre. 
She had had a lesson, however, and kept 
perfectly calm, though white to the lips, 
while she told the whole story to Captain 
de Montcouvoir. Emile was called in, 
and though he began by trying to prevari- 
cate and excuse himself, he finally found 
it useless and made an abject confession 
of his misdeeds. 

The Captain was not only angry, but 
bitterly humiliated and distressed that his 
son could have behaved so dishonorably. 
He not only punished him severely, but 
took him to the Vicomtesse’s house and 
there made him publicly apologize to 
Pierre, after confessing his fault, and this 
before the de Floquins, his cousins, and 
all the servants. 

You can fancy how happy our little 
Pierre was to be thus justified and, to tell 
the truth, he forgave his cousin much more 
easily and fully than did his brother and 
sisters, who shunned Emile for the rest 
of the holidays. 

His grandmother was so anxious to 


188 FIVE BIRDS IN A NEST 

make up to Pierre for his unfair punish- 
ment that the children had a perfectly de- 
lightful time during the remainder of 
their visit. 

Soon after Madame de Boisvallon ar- 
rived, her mother told her the whole story 
and expressed her grief at the mistake 
she had made. 

“Don’t trouble,” answered her daugh- 
ter with a smile. “I have already heard 
all about it from Pierre, and I find this 
experience has deeply impressed him with 
the efficacy of prayer, besides deepening 
his love for his brother. He is much 
touched by the affection Bernard and all 
the children showed him during his 
trouble.” 

“Does he know that Bernard would 
take nothing but bread and water as long 
as he himself was being punished?” said 
the Vicomtesse, whose eyes were moist at 
the thought. 

“No, I think not. Dear loving little 
Bernard, it’s just like him! He has been 
troublesome at times, but his is a heart 


BERNARD’S TRUSTFUL PRAYER 189 

of gold. He always says he will be 
a missionary and — well, if Our Lord thus 
calls him to the apostolate, we must give 
our child up bravely, for God has surely a 
right to all that is best out of the nestful 
He has given us.” 


PRINTED BY BENZIQ-KR BROTHERS, NEW YORK 


4, 


1 


:..0* . ; -I’.Xu'-. ^ /•’’ <' ■ / 


A \ •• i 


• t* ' I 

\ * V’ ' » / 

• k- ' I « •, 


I ‘ 


*» • \ 


i • . . s 


« •' 


S '-L 


. 






• r y 


. \ 




9 - 




• Kf 


' / ' \ *• 


* ' .V 




. , . y • V ■- • ' ■ V" . ■ ' . I ' . -' ■■ , 


> • f 


i * 




; 



r. 




*•» 

, f 


4 \ 



I 


I 


. k 

i 





I 


« I , 


I 

I 



V 



I 












I 




I 




t 


} 


« 



I 


» 


*• 




I 


k. 


I 






\ 

t 


4 f 



I 


. '-rv 

’ i 'i 

i I 



» 


^ 



I 


< 

V I 



t 


Standard catholic books 

PUBLISHED BY 

BENZIGER BROTHERS 

CINCINNATI: NEW YORK: Chicago: 

843 Main St. 36-38 Barclay St. 214-216 W. Monroe St. 


B 9 oks not marked net will be sent postpaid on receipt of ad- 
vertised price. Books marked net are such where ten cent, 
must be added for postage. Thus a book advertised as net, 
$1.00, will be sent postpaid on receipt of $1.10. 

Complete descriptive catalogue sent free on application. 

INSTRUCTION, DOCTRINE, APOLOGETICS, CONTRO- 
VERSY, DEVOTION, MEDITATION, THEOLOGY, LITURGY, 
HOLY SCRIPTURE, BIBLE, SERMONS, PHILOSOPHY, 
SCIENCE, HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY 

ABANDONMENT; or, Absolute Surrender of Self to 

Divine Providence. Caussade, S.T. net, 0 60 

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 

Tesni^re. 0 60 

ANECDOTES AND EXAMPLES ILLUSTRATING 

THE CATHOLIC CATECHISM. Spirago. net, 1 60 

ANGELS OF THE SANCTUARY. For Altar Boys. 

Musser. net, 0 16 

ART OF PROFITING BY OUR FAULTS. Tissox. net, 0 60 
ASSERTIO SEPTEM SACRAMENTORUM; or, De- 
fence of the Seven Sacraments, by Henry VIII. 
O’Donovan. net, 0 76 

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ST. IGNATIUS. O’Conor, 

S.T. net, 1 26 

BEGINNINGS OF CHRISTIANITY, THE. A history 
of conditions of Christian life in the first three 
centuries of our era. Shahan. net, 2 00 

BENEDICENDA; or. Rites and Ceremonies to be Ob- 
served in some of the Principal Functions of the 
Roman Pontifical and Roman Ritual. Schulte. net, 1 50 
BLOSSOMS OF THE CROSS. For those who lead a 

life of suffering or seclusion. Giehrl. 1 25 

BONOMELLI, RT. REV. J. HOMILIES ON THE 

EPISTLES AND GOSPELS. 4 vols. net, 5 00 

— HOMILIES ON THE COMMON OF SAINTS. 

2 vols. net, 2 50 

— THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERIES; or. Discourses 

for All the Great Feasts except Those of the 
Blessed Virgin. 4 vols. “net, 6 00 

BOOK OF THE PROFESSED. Vols. I, II, III. Each, net, 0 
BOY-SAVER’S GUIDE. Society Work for Lads m 

Their Teens. Quin, S.J. , c ah ^ 

BUDS AND BLOSSOMS. Spiritual Readings for All 

Seasons. Colton. ^ , , . „ ^ 

CASES OF CONSCIENCE for English-speaking Coun- 

tries. Slater, S.J. 3 vols. net, 3 60 


CATECHISM EXPLAINED. Spirago. net, 3 

CATHOLIC BELIEF. Faa di Bruno. Paper, net, 

0.10;; Cloth, net, 0 

CATHOLIC CEREMONIES. Durand. 111. Paper, 

0.20; Cloth, 0 

CATHOLIC HOME ANNUAL. Calendars, Stories, 

etc. 111. 0 

CATHOLIC PRACTICE AT CHURCH AND AT 

HOME. Klauder. Paper, 0.25; Qoth, 0 

CATHOLIC TEACHING FOR CHILDREN. Wray. 

Paper, 0.15; Cloth, 0 

CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE DEVOTION. 

Grou, S.T. ■ net, 0 

CHARITY THE ORIGIN OF EVERY BLESSING, net, 0 
CHILD PREPARED FOR FIRST COMMUNION, 

THE. ZULUETA, S.J. 0 

CHRISTIAN APOLOGETICS. A Defence of the 

Catholic Faith. Devivier. net, 2 

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. O’Connell. net, 0 

CHRISTIAN FATHER, THE. Instructions. Cramer. 

Paper, 0.15; Cloth, 0 

CHRISTIAN MOTHER, THE. Instructions. Cramer. 

Paper, 0.15; Cloth, 0 

CHRIST IN TYPE AND PROPHECY. Maas. Vols. 

I and II. Each, net, 2 

CHRIST’S TEACHING CONCERNING DIVORCE 

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. Gigot. net, 1 

CLERGYMAN’S HANDBOOK OF LAW. Scanlan. net, 1 

COMPENDIUM JURIS CANONICI. Smith. net, 2 

COMPENDIUM JURIS REGULARIUM. Bachofen. net, 2 

COMPENDIUM SACRAE LITURGIAE. Wapel- 

HORST. fict fi 

CONSECRANDA; or, Rites and Ceremonies Observed at 

the Consecration of Churches, Altars, etc. Schulte, net, 1 

CORRECT THING FOR CATHOLICS, THE. Bugg. 0 

COUNSELS OF ST. ANGELA TO HER SISTERS 

IN RELIGION. net, 0 

DEVOTIONS TO THE SACRED HEART FOR THE 

FIRST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH. Huguet. 0 

DEVOTION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS, 

THE. Noldin, S.J. net, 1 

DIGNITY AND DUTIES OF THE PRIEST. Liguori. net, 1 

DIVINE GRACE. Explains the doctrine of the 

Church on divine grace. Wirth. net, 1 

DIVINE OFFICE. Explanation of Psalms and Can- 
ticles. Liguori. net, 1 

DOGMATIC THEOLOGY, OUTLINES OF. Hunter. 

Vols. I, II, HI. Each, net, 1 

ECCLESIASTICAL DICTIONARY. Thein. net, 5 

EDUCATION OF OUR GIRLS, THE. Shields. net, 1 

ELEMENTS OF ECCLESIASTICAL LAW. Smith. 

Vols. I, II, III. Each, net, 2 

ENCYCLICAL LETTERS OF POPE LEO XIII. net, 2 

EPISTLES AND GOSPELS. Large type. 0 

EUCHARISTIC CHRIST. Reflections on the Blessed 

Sacrament. Tesniere. net, 1 

EXPLANATION OF BIBLE HISTORY. Nash. net, 1 

EXPLANATION OF CATHOLIC MORALS, Staple- 
ton, 


60 

35 

60 

25 

60 

35 

75 

50 

05 

00 

60 

35 

35 

OO 

60 

35 

00 

60 

50 

50 

50 

25 

25 

25 

50 

00 

60 

60 

00 

00 

50 

25 

25 

25 

60 


8 50 


explanation of the BALTIMORE CATE- 
CHISM. Kinkead. net 

EXPLANATION OF THE COMMANDMENTS. 

Rolfus. 

EXPLANATION OF THE CREED. Rolfus. 

EXPLANATION OF THE GOSPELS AND CATH- 
OLIC WORSHIP. Lambert. Paper, 0.20; Cloth, 
EXPLANATION OF THE HOLY SACRAMENTS. 

Rolfus. 

EXPLANATION OF THE MASS. Cochem. 

EXPLANATION OF THE OUR FATHER AND THE 

HAIL MARY. Liguori. net 0 76 

EXPLANATION OF THE PRAYERS AND CERE- 
MONIES OF THE MASS. Lanslots, O.S.B. net, 1 25 
EXPLANATION OF THE SALVE REGINA. Liguori. net, 0 75 
EXTREME UNCTION. Phillips. 0 05 

FLOWERS OF THE PASSION. Devout Thoughts. 0 50 

FOR FREQUENT COMMUNICANTS. 0 05 

FOUR LAST THINGS. Meditations. Cochem. net, 0 75 
FUNDAMENTALS OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. 

net, 0 60 


1 00 

0 60 
0 60 

0 60 

0 50 
0 50 




DY OF 


Translated by Rev. J. P. M. Schleuter, S. 

GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE ST' 

THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Gigot. net, 

GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF 
THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. Abridged. Gigot. net, 

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE RELIGIOUS 
LIFE. Verheyen. net, 

GENTLEMAN, A. Manners and Social Usages. Egan. 

GIFT OF THE KING, THE. An Explanation of the 
Mass for Children. 

GLORIES AND TRIUMPHS OF THE CATHOLIC 
CHURCH, THE. 

GLORIES OF DIVINE GRACE, THE. Scheeben. net, 

GLORIES OF MARY. Vols. I and II. Liguori. Each, net, 
GLORIES OF MARY. Popular edition. 

GLORIES OF THE SACRED HEART. Hausherr, S.J. 

GOD, CHRIST AND THE CHURCH. Hammer. 

GOFFINE’S DEVOUT INSTRUCTIONS. 

GOLDEN SANDS. Counsels for the Sanctification 

and Happiness of Daily Life. 3 vols. Each, net, 0 50 
GREAT MEANS OF SALVATION, THE. Liguori. net, 1 50 
GREAT SUPPER, THE. Discourses on Weekly Com- 
munion. CouBfi, S.J. net, 

GREETINGS TO THE CHRIST CHILD. Poems for 
Children. 

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE CATH- 
OLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE UNITED 
STATES. Burns. net. 


2 50 

1 60 

0 80 
0 50 

0 60 


2 00 
1 60 

1 50 
0 50 

0 50 

2 00 

1 00 


1 26 
0 60 


1 75 

GUIDE FOR SACRISTANS. net, 0 85 

HANDBOOK OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 

WiLMERS, S.J. net, 1 50 

HARMONY OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. Heuser. net, 1 25 

HELPS TO A SPIRITUAL LIFE. Schneider. 0 60 

HIDDEN TREASURE; or, The Value and Excellence 

of Holy Mass. Blessed Leonard. Paper, 0.15; Cloth, 0 35 
HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. Alzog. 

3 vols. net, 8 00 

HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. Businger- 

Bbennan. 8vo, 2 00 


HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. Businger- 
Brennan. 12mo. 

HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. Brueck. 

2 vols. 

HISTORY OF ECONOMICS. Dewe. 

HISTORY OF THE MASS. O’Brien. net, 1 25 

HISTORY OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION. 

OOH6CXX 

HOLY EUCHARIST AND FREQUENT AND DAILY 
COMMUNION. O’Connell. Paper, 0.25; Qoth, 

HOLY EUCHARIST, THE. Liguori. 

HOLY HOUR, THE. Keiley. 

HOLY MASS, THE. Liguori. net, 1 50 

HOLY VIATICUM OF LIFE AS OF DEATH, THE. 

A provision for the journey of life as well as of 
death. Dever. net. 0 75 

HOLY WEEK, COMPLETE OFFICE OF. Cheap 
Edition, cloth, net, 0.20; Cloth, 

HOW TO COMFORT THE SICK. Krebs. 

HOW TO MAKE THE MISSION. 

INCARNATION, BIRTH, AND INFANCY OF 

CHRIST. Liguori. net, 1 50 

INDEX TO LIGUORI WORKS. net, 0 10 

IN HEAVEN WE KNOW OUR OWN. For those 

who have lost dear ones by death. Blot, S.J. net, 0 60 
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FIRST COMMUNICANTS. 

Schmitt. net, 0 60 

INSTRUCTIONS ON THE COMMANDMENTS AND 

0 35 


0 60 

net, 3 00 
net, 1 50 


0 50 

0 60 
net, 1 50 
0 05 


0 45 
0 50 
0 10 


SACRAMENTS. Liguori. Paper, 0.15; Cloth, 
INSTRUCTIONS ON MARRIAGE, POPULAR. 


POPULAR. 

POPULAR. 


0 35 


Grou, S.J. 


0 35 
0 35 


Girardey. Paper, 0.15; Cloth, 

INSTRUCTIONS ON PRAYER, 

Girardey. Paper, 0.15; Cloth, 

INSTRUCTIONS TO PARENTS, 

Girardey. Paper, 0.15; Cloth, 

INTERIOR OF JESUS AND MARY. 

2 vols. 

JESUS LIVING IN THE PRIEST. Millet-Byrne. 

LADY, A. Manners and Social Usages. Bugg. 

LAWS OF THE SAVIOUR. Talks on the Command- 
ments for Children. 

LESSONS OF THE SAVIOUR. Christ’s Miracles 
Described for Children. 

LETTERS OF ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI. 6 vols. 

Each, net, 1 60 

LIFE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. Rohner- 
Brennan. 

LIFE OF CHRIST. Businger-Brennan. Profusely 

illustrated. nei, 10 00 

LIFE OF CHRIST. Cochem-Hammer, 0 60 

LIFE OF CHRIST. Adapted from Businger. Mullett. 2 00 
LIFE OF SISTER ANNE KATHARINE EMMERICH. 

McGowan. net, 1 75 

LIFE OF VEN. CRESCENTIA HOSS. net, 1 25 

LIGHT FOR NEW TIMES. A Book for Catholic 

Young Women. Fletcher. net, 0 60 

LIGUORI. COMPLETE WORKS. Vols. I-XXII. 

Each, net. 1 60 

LITTLE MASS BOOK. Lynch. 0 06 


net, 2 00 
net, 2 00 
0 60 

0 60 

0 60 


0 60 


net. 


net, 


LITTLE OFFICE OF THE IMMACULATE CON- 
CEPTION. 

LIVES OF THE SAINTS. Adapted from Alban 
Butler. 

LIVES OF THE SAINTS FOR CHILDREN. Berthold. 
LIVES OF THE SAINTS, PICTORIAL. Shea. 
Illustrated. 

LIVES OF THE SAINTS, SHORT. Donnelly. 

LIVES OF THE SAINTS, LITTLE PICTORIAL. 
Illustrated. 

LOURDES. Its Inhabitants, Its Pilgrims and Miracles. 
CTlarke) S J 

MANUAL OF 'HOMILETICS AND CATECHETICS. 

SCHUCCH 

MANUAL OF MORAL THEOLOGY. Slater, S.J. 
Vols. I and II. Each, 

MANUAL OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND CHRIS- 
TIAN PERFECTION. Henry, C.SS.R. Paper, 
0.25; Cloth, 

MANUAL OF THEOLOGY FOR THE LAITY. 

Geiermann, C.SS.R. Paper, 0.25; Cloth, 

MARY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS. Instructions, Le- 
gends, Novenas, and Prayers. Hammer. 

MARY THE QUEEN. A Life of the Blessed Virgin 
for Children. 

MEANS OF GRACE. Complete Explanation of the 
Sacraments. Fully illustrated. Rolfus-Braendle. 
MEDITATIONS FOR EVERY DAY. Baxter. net, 

MEDITATIONS FOR EVERY DAY. Hamon. 5 vols. net, 

MEDITATIONS FOR EVERY DAY. Vercruysse, S.J. 

net, 

FOR EVERY DAY OF MONTH. 

net, 

MEDITATIONS FOR MONTHLY RETREATS. For 
Religious. net, 

MEDITATIONS FOR RETREATS. St. Francis de 
Sales. net, 

MEDITATIONS FOR THE USE OF THE SECULAR 
CLERGY. 2 vols. Chaignon, S.J. net, 

MEDITATIONS ON THE LIFE, THE TEACHINGS, 
AND THE PASSION OF JESUS CHRIST. Ilg. 

2 vols. net, 

MEDITATIONS ON THE MONTH OF OUR LADY. 

Mullaney. net, 

MEDITATIONS ON TPIE PASSION. By a Passionist. 
MEDITATIONS ON THE SUFFERINGS OF JESUS 
CHRIST. Perinaldo. net, 

MIDDLE AGES, THE. Sketches covering the period 
from the fifth to the fifteenth century. Shahan. net, 
MISCELLANY. Liguori. net, 

MOMENTS BEFORE THE TABERNACLE. Prayers 
and Aspirations. Russell, S.J. net, 

MONTH, LITTLE, OF THE SOULS IN PURGA- 
TORY. net, 

MONTH OF MAY, LITTLE. net, 

MONTH, NEW, OF THE HOLY ANGELS. St. 

Francis de Sales. net, 

MORAL PRINCIPLES AND MEDICAL PRACTICE. 
Coppens, S.J. net. 


2 vols. 

MEDITATIONS 
Nepveu-Ryan. 


0 05 

0 50 
0 60 

3 00 
0 60 

1 25 

0 50 

1 25 

2 75 

0 60 
0 60 
2 00 
0 60 

3 00 

1 50 
5 00 

3 60 
0 75 
0 50 
0 85 

4 50 

3 60 

0 75 
0 60 

0 75 

2 00 

1 60 

0 60 

0 25 
0 25 

0 25 

1 00 


NEW TESTAMENT. 
NEW TESTAMENT. 
6cl^6S^ 

NEW TESTAMENT. 


MORE SPIRITUAL READINGS FOR MARY’S 

CHILDREN. Madame Cecilia. 0 60 

MY FIRST COMMUNION. The Happiest Day of My 

Life. Buchmann-Brennan. <net, 0 76 

NEW TESTAMENT. 32mo, flexible cloth, net, 0 18 

Illustrated. net, 0 60 

(India Paper.) Leather, gold 

net, 0 80 

13mo. 0 50 

OUR OWN WILL and How to Detect it in Our 

Actions. Allen. net, 0 85 

OUTLINES OF NEW TESTAMENT HISTORY. 

Gigot. net, 1 50 

OUTLINES OF SERMONS FOR YOUNG MEN 

AND YOUNG WOMEN. Schuen. net, 2 00 

PARADISE ON EARTH; or, A Religious Vocation 

the Surest Way in Life. Natale, S.J. net, 0 60 

PARISH PRIEST ON DUTY, THE. Heuser. net, 0 60 

PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST. 

Liguori. net, 1 50 

PASTORAL THEOLOGY. Stang. net, 1 60 

PATRON SAINTS FOR CATHOLIC YOUTH. Illus- 
trated. Vols. I, II, HI. Mannix. Each, 0 60 

PATRON SAINTS FOR CATHOLIC YOUTH. Illus- 
trated. Mannix. Each, 0 10 

St. Agnes, St. Aloysius, St, Anne, St. Anthony, St. Blase, 

St. Bernard, St. Bridget, St. Catharine, St. Cecilia, St. 

Charles, St. Clare, St. Elizabeth, St. Francis Xavier, 

St. Helena, St. Joseph, St. Louis, St. Margaret, St. 

Martin of Tours, St. Michael, St. Monica, St. 

Patrick, St. Philip Neri, St. Rose of Lima, St. Teresa. 

PEARLS FROM FABER. Selections from His Works. 

Brunowe. net, 0 60 

PERFECT RELIGIOUS, TFIE. D’Orleans de la 

Motte. net, 1 00 

PHILOSOPHIA MORALI, DE. Russo. net, 2 00 

POLITICAL AND MORAL ESSAYS. Rickaby, S.J. net, 1 75 

PRAXIS SYNODALIS. net, 0 75 

PREACHING. Liguori. net, 1 50 

PREPARATION FOR DEATH. Liguori. net, 1 60 

PRINCIPLES, ORIGIN AND ESTABLISHMENT 
OF THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IN 
THE U. S. Burns. net, 1 75 

PRIVATE RETREAT FOR RELIGIOUS. Geier- 

mann, C.SS.R. net, 1 60 

PULPIT SKETCHES. Outlines of Sermons. Lam- 
bert. net, 1 25 

QUEEN’S FESTIVALS, THE. Instructions on the 

Feasts of the Blessed Virgin for Children. 0 60 

REASONABLENESS OF CATHOLIC CEREMONIES 

AND PRACTICES. Burke. Paper, 0.15: Cloth, 0 35 
RELIGIOUS STATE, THE. Liguori. net, 0 60 

RETREATS FOR SISTERS, TWO. Wirth. net, 1 00 

RIGHTS OF OUR LITTLE ONES. On education. 

Conway, S.J. 0 05 

RITUALE COMPENDIOSUM. Sacristy Ritual. net, 0 90 

ROMAN CURIA AS IT NOW EXISTS. Martin, S.J. net, 1 50 

ROSARY, THE. Instructions on the Rosary for young 

men and women. Garesche, S.J. net, 0 60 


ROMA. Ancient, Subterranean, and Modern Rome in 
W^d and Picture. By Rev. Albert Kuhn, O.S.B., 

D.D. Preface by Cardinal Gibbons. 18 bi-monthly 
parts, each 0.35 postpaid. Subscription by the year, 

6 parts, 2.00; complete work, 6.00. 938 text illus- 

trations, 40 full-page illustrations, 3 plans of Rome 
in colors. The best and most thorough production 
of its kind. 

ROSARY, THE CROWN OF MARY, THE. o 10 

RULES OF LIFE FOR THE PASTOR OF SOULS. 

Slater-Rauch. net , 0 75 

SACRAMENTALS. The Sacramentals of the Church 

Explained. Lambing. Paper, 0.20; Cloth, 0 60 

SACRED HEART STUDIED IN THE SACRED 

SCRIPTURES, THE. Saintrain, C.SS.R. 0 60 

SACRIFICE OF THE MASS WORTHILY CELE- 
BRATED. Chaignon, S.J. net, 1 60 

SAINTS AND PLACES. Ayscough. Description of 

Italy’s most historic spots. 22 full-page illustrations, net, 1 50 
ST. ANTHONY. ANECDOTES AND EXAMPLES. 

Keller. net. 0 75 

ST. ANTHONY, THE SAINT OF THE WHOLE 

WORLD. Ward. 0 60 

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI: SOCIAL RE- 
FORMER. Dubois. 0 50 

SECRET OF SANCTITY. Crasset. 0 60 

SERMONS FOR CHILDREN OF MARY. Callerio. net, 1 60 
SERMONS FOR CHILDREN’S MASSES. Frassi- 


NETTi. net, 1 50 

SERMONS FOR SUNDAYS. Liguori. net, 1 60 

SERMONS FOR THE SUNDAYS AND CHIEF 
FESTIVALS OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR. 

2 vols. PoTTGEisSER. net, 3 00 

SERMONS FROM THE LATINS. Baxter. net, 2 00 

SERMONS, FUNERAL. Wirth. Vols. I and II. 

Sdcli fvct 1 00 

SERMONS, LENTEN. Wirth. net, 2 00 

SERMONS, NEW AND OLD. Wirth. 8 vols. Each, net, 2 00 

SERMONS ON THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 

Scheurer-Lasance. net, 1 50 

SERMONS ON THE DEVOTION TO THE SACRED 

HEART. Six. Bierbaum. net, 0 75 

SERMONS, SHORT, FOR LOW MASSES. Schouppe. net, 1 25 

SERMONS, SHORT. Hunolt. 5 vols. (Wirth.) 

Each, net, 2 00 

SHORT CONFERENCES ON THE SACRED HEART. 

Brinkmeyer. net, 0 76 


SHORT COURSE IN CATHOLIC DOCTRINE. For 
Non-Catholics Intending Marriage with Catholics. 
SHORT HISTORY OF MORAL T PI E O L O G Y. 
Slater S T 

SHORT 'MEDITATIONS FOR EVERY DAY. 
Lasausse. 

SHORT STORIES ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 
SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FIRST COM- 
MUNION. 

SOCIALISM AND CHRISTIANn?Y. Stang. 
SOCIALISM: ITS THEORETICAL BASIS AND 
PRACTICAL APPLICATION. Cathrein, S.J. 


0 10 

7iet, 0 60 

0 50 
net, 1 00 

0 05 
net, 1 00 

net, 1 50 


SOCIALISM, MORALITY OF MODERN. Ming, S.J. net, 1 60 
SOCIALISM, RELIGION AND CHARACTERISTICS 

OF. Ming, S.J. net, 1 50 

SOUVENIR OF THE NOVITIATE. net, 0 50 

SPECIAL INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF 

THE OLD TESTAMENT. Part I. Gigot. net, 1 50 

SPECIAL INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF 

THE OLD TESTAMENT. Part II. Gigot. net, 2 00 

SPIRAGO’S METHOD OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 

Messmer. net, 1 50 

SPIRITUAL CONSIDERATIONS. Buckler, O.P. net, 1 25 

SPIRITUAL DESPONDENCY AND TEMPTATIONS. 

Michel, S.J. net, 1 25 

SPIRITUAL EXERCISES FOR A TEN DAYS’ RE- 
TREAT. Smetana, C.SS.R. net, 0 75 

SPIRITUAL PEPPER AND SALT. Stang. Paper, 

0.25; Cloth, 0 60 

SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE AND THE LIFE OF SAC- 
RIFICE IN THE RELIGIOUS STATE. Giraud- 
Thurston. net, 2 00 

SPOILING THE DIVINE FEAST. Zulueta. 0 05 

STORIES FOR FIRST COMMUNICANTS. Keller, net, 0 50 

STORIES OF THE MIRACLES OF OUR LORD, 

THE. 0 60 

STORY OF THE DIVINE CHILD. Lings. 0 60 

STORY OF THE FRIENDS OF JESUS. 0 60 

STORY OF JESUS. Simply Told for the Young. 

R. Mulholland. 0 60 


STRIVING AFTER PERFECTION. Bayma. net, 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL DIRECTOR’S GUIDE. Sloan, net, 
SUNDAY-SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE. Sloan. net, 
SURE WAY TO A HAPPY MARRIAGE. Paper, 0.15 ; 
Cloth, 

TALKS WITH THE LITTLE ONES ABOUT THE 
APOSTLES’ CREED. 

THEORY AND PRACTICE OF THE CONFES- 
SIONAL. Schieler-Heuser. net. 

THOUGHTS AND AFFECTIONS ON THE PASSION 
OF JESUS CHRIST FOR EVERY DAY IN THE 
YEAR. Bergamo. net, 

THOUGHTS ON THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. Lasance. net, 
TRAINING OF CHILDREN. Madame Cecilia. net, 

TRUE POLITENESS, LETTERS ON. Demore. net, 

TRUE SPOUSE OF CHRIST. Liguori. 

TRUE SPOUSE OF CHRIST. Vols. I and II. 

Liguori. Each, ngf ^ 

VENERATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 
Rohner-Brennan. 

VICTORIES OF THE MARTYRS. Liguori. net, 

VIGIL HOUR. Ryan, S.J. 

VISIT TO EUROPE AND THE HOLY LAND. 
Fairbanks. 

VOCATIONS EXPLAINED. 

WAY OF THE CROSS. Paper, 

WAY OF THE CROSS. Illustrated. Eucharistic 
Method. 

WAY OF THE CROSS, illustrated. Method of St. 
Francis Assisi. 


1 00 
0 50 
0 50 

0 35 

0 60 

3 50 


2 00 
1 50 
0 75 
0 76 

0 50 

1 60 

0 50 

1 60 

0 05 

1 60 
0 10 
0 05 

0 10 

0 10 


WAY OF THE CROSS. Illustrated. Method Jesuit 

Father. n 10 

WAY OF THE CROSS. Illustrated. Method St. 

Alphonsus Liguori. 0 10 

WAY OF SALVATION AND OF PERFECTION. 

Meditations. Liguori. net, 1 60 

WAY OF INTERIOR PEACE. Brucker. net , 1 50 

WHAT CATHOLICS HAVE DONE FOR SCIENCE. 

Brennan. net , 1 26 

WHAT THE CHURCH TEACHES. Drury. Paper, 

0.25; Cloth, 0 60 

WHAT TIMES 1 WHAT MORALS! Semple, S.J. 

Paper, 0.15; Cloth, 0 36 

WITH CHRIST, MY FRIEND. Sloan. net , 0 76 


NOVELS, POETRY, ETC. 


AGATHA’S HARD SAYING. Rosa Mulholland. 
BACK TO THE WORLD. Champol. 

BEST STORIES BY THE FOREMOST CATHOLIC 
AUTHORS. 10 vols. 

BLACK BROTHERHOOD, THE. Garrold, S.J. 
BOND AND FREE. Connor. 

BUT THY LOVE AND THY GRACE. Finn, S.J. 
BY THE BLUE RIVER. I. Clarke. 

CARROLL DARE. Waggaman. 

CIRCUS RIDER’S DAUGHTER. Brackel. 

CONNOR D’ARCY’S STRUGGLES. Bertholds. 
CORINNE’S VOW. Waggaman. 

DAUGHTER OF KINGS, A. Hinkson. 

DION AND THE SYBILS. M. Keon. 

FABIOLA. Wiseman. Illustrated. 

FABIOLA’S sisters. Clarke. 

FATAL BEACON. Brackel. 

FAUSTULA. Ayscough. 

FLOWERS OF THE CLOISTER. Poems. Sister 
La Motte. 

FORGIVE AND FORGET. Lingen. 

FRIENDLY LITTLE HOUSE, THE, AND OTHER 
STORIES. Taggart. 

HEARTS OF GOLD. Edhor. 

HEIRESS OF CRONENSTEIN, THE. Hahn-Hahn. 
HER BLIND FOLLY. Holt. 

HER FATHER’S DAUGHTER. Hinkson. 

HER JOURNEY’S END. Cooke. 

IDOLS. Navery. 

IN GOD’S GOOD TIME. Ross. 

IN THE DAYS OF KING HAL. Taggart. 

“KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS.” Harrison. 
LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER. Mari6. 

LIGHT OF HIS COUNTENANCE, THE. Harte. 
LITTLE CARDINAL, THE. Parr. 

LINKED LIVES. Douglas. 

MARCELLA GRACE. Rosa Mulholland. , 

MARIAE COROLLA. Poems on the Blessed Virgin. 


Hill. _ 

MELCHIOR OF BOSTON. Earls. 
MIGHTY FRIEND, THE. L’Ermite. 
MIRROR OF SHALOTT, THE. Benson. 


0 50 
net , 1 35 

3 50 
net , 1 36 

0 50 

1 00 
net , 1 85 

1 25 
0 50 

0 50 

1 25 
1 25 
0 50 
0 50 

0 50 

1 26 
net , 1 36 

1 25 

0 50 

0 60 

1 25 

0 50 

1 25 
1 25 
0 50 
0 60 

0 50 

1 25 
1 25 
1 00 

0 50 

1 25 
1 60 

0 50 

1 25 
1 00 

net , 1 50 
net, 1 60 


MISS ERIN. Francis. 

MONK’S PARDON, THE. Navery. 

MR. BILLY BUTTONS. Lecky. 

MY LADY BEATRICE. Cooke. 

NOT A JUDGMENT. Keon. 

OTHER MISS LISLE, THE. Martin. 

OUT OF BONDAGE. Holt. 

OUTLAW OF CAMARGUE, THE. De Lamothe. 
PASSING SHADOWS. Yorke. 

PASSION FLOWERS. Poems. Hill. 

'TAT.” Hinkson. net, 

PERE MONNIER’S WARD. Lecky. 

PILKINGTON HEIR, THE. Sadlier. 

PRISONERS’ YEARS. Clarke. net. 

PRODIGAL’S DAUGHTER, THE. Bugg. 

RED INN AT ST. LYPHAR, THE. Sadlier. 

ROAD BEYOND THE TOWN, THE, AND OTHER 
POEMS. Earls. 

ROMANCE OF A PLAYWRIGHT, THE. Bornier. 
ROSE OF THE WORLD. Martin. 

ROUND TABLE OF AMERICAN CATHOLIC NOV- 
ELISTS. 

ROUND TABLE OF IRISH AND ENGLISH CATH- 
_OLIC NOVELISTS. 

ROUND TABLE OF GERMAN CATHOLIC NOV- 
ELISTS. 

ROUND TABLE OF FRENCH CATHOLIC 
ELISTS. 

ROUND THE WORLD SERIES. Vol. I. 

ROUND THE WORLD SERIES. Vol. II. 

ROUND THE WORLD SERIES. Vol. III. 

ROUND THE WORLD SERIES. Vol. IV. 

ROUND THE WORLD SERIES. Vol. V. 

ROUNDTHE WORLD SERIES. Vol. VI. 

ROUND THE WORLD SERIES. Vol. VII. 

ROUND THE WORLD SERIES. Vol. VIII. 

ROUND THE WORLD SERIES. Vol. IX. 

ROUND THE WORLD SERIES. Vol. X. 

RULER OF THE KINGDOM, THE. Keon. 

SECRET OF THE GREEN VASE, THE. Cooke. 
SHADOW OF EVERSLEIGH, THE. Lansdowne. 

SO AS BY FIRE. Connor. 

SOGGARTH AROON. Guinan. 

SON OF SIRO, THE. Copus. 

SONGS AND SONNETS. Egan. 

STORY OF CECILIA, THE. Hinkson. 

STUORE. Earls. 

TEMPEST OF THE HEART, THE. Gray. 

TEST OF COURAGE, THE. Ross. 

THAT MAN’S DAUGHTER. Ross. 

THEIR CHOICE. Skinner. 

THROUGH THE DESERT. Sienkiewicz. net. 

TRAINING OF SILAS. Devine, S.J. 

TRUE STORY OF MASTER GERARD, THE. 
Sadlier. 


NOV- 

A series of 
i n t e r e sting 
articles on a 
great variety 
of subjects of 
much educa- 
tional value. 
Profusely il- 
lustrated. 


TURN OF THE TIDE, THE. Gray. 

UNBIDDEN GUEST, THE. Cooke. 

UNRAVELLING OF A TANGLE, THE. Taggart. 

JJP IN ARDMUIRLAND. Barrett. net , 


0 60 

0 50 

1 25 

0 50 

1 25 

0 50 

1 25 

0 50 

1 25 
1 25 
1 35 
1 25 
1 25 
1 35 
1 00 
1 25 

1 25 
1 00 

0 50 

1 50 

1 50 

1 50 

1 50 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 00 
1 26 
0 50 

0 50 
0 60 

1 25 
1 60 
1 00 
1 25 
1 00 
0 50 

0 50 

1 25 
1 00 
1 35 
1 25 

1 25 
0 60 

0 50 

1 25 
1 35 


CONWAY, THE. Egan. 
WARGRAVE TRUST, THE. Reid. 

beyond, the. Harrison. 
WEEDING BELLS OF GLENDALOUGH, THE. 

WHEN LOVE IS STRONG. Keon. 

WOMAN OF FORTUNE. Christian Reid. 

WORLD WELL LOST, THE. Robertson. 


1 26 
1 25 
1 25 

net, 1 35 
1 25 
1 25 
0 75 


JUVENILES. 

ALTHEA. Nirdlinger. 

ADVENTURE WITH THE APACHES, AN. Ferry. 
AS GOLD IN THE FURNACE. Copus. 

AS TRUE AS GOLD. Mannix. 

BELL FOUNDRY, THE. Schaching. 

BERKLEYS, THE. Wight. 

BEST FOOT FORWARD, THE. Finn. 

BETWEEN FRIENDS. Aumerle. 

BISTOURI. Melandri. 

BLISSYLVANIA POST-OFFICE, THE. Taggart. 
BOB-O’-LINK. Waggaman. 

BROWNIE AND I. Aumerle. 

BUNT AND BILL. C. Mulholland. 

BY BRANSCOME RIVER. Taggart. 

CAPTAIN TED. Waggaman. 

CAVE BY THE BEECH FORK, THE. Spalding. 
CHARLIE CHITTYWICK. Bearne. 

CHILDREN OF CUPA. Mannix. 

CHILDREN OF THE LOG CABIN. Delamare. 
CLARE LORAINE. “Lee." 

CLAUDE LIGHTFOOT. Finn. 

COLLEGE BOY, A. Yorke. 

CUPA REVISITED. Mannix. 

DADDY DAN. Waggaman. 

DEAR FRIENDS. Nirdlinger. 

DIMPLING’S SUCCESS. C. Mulholland. 

DOLLAR HUNT, THE. E. C. Martin. 
ETHELRED PRESTON. Finn. 

EVERY-DAY GIRL, AN. Crowley. 

FAIRY OF THE SNOWS, THE. Finn, S.J. 

FIVE O’CLOCK STORIES. 

FLOWER OF THE FLOCK. Egan. 

FOR THE WHITE ROSE. Hinkson. 

FREDDY CARR’S ADVENTURES. Garrold. 
FREDDY CARR AND HIS FRIENDS. Garrold. 
FRED’S LITTLE DAUGHTER. S. T. Smith. 
GOLDEN LILY, THE. Hinkson. 

GREAT CAPTAIN, THE. Hinkson. 

GUILD BOYS OF RIDINGDALE. Bearne, S.J. 
HALDEMAN CHILDREN, THE. Mannix. 
HARMONY FLATS. Whitmire. 

HARRY DEE. Finn, S.J. 

HARRY RUSSELL. Copus, S.J. 

HEIR OF DREAMS, AN. O’Malley. 

HIS FIRST AND LAST APPEARANCE. Finn. S.J. 
HOSTAGE OF WAR. Bonesteel. 

HOW THEY WORKED THEIR WAY. Egan. 

IN QUEST OF THE GOLDEN CHEST. Barton. 


0 60 
0 45 
0 85 
0 45 
0 45 
0 45 
0 85 
0 85 
0 45 
0 45 
0 45 
0 85 
0 45 
0 45 
0 60 
0 85 
0 85 
0 45 
0 85 
0 85 
0 85 
0 85 
0 45 
0 45 
0 60 
0 45 
0 45 
0 85 
0 45 
0 85 
0 50 
0 85 
0 45 
0 85 
0 85 
0 45 
0 45 
0 45 
0 85 
0 45 
0 85 
0 85 
0 85 

0 45 

1 00 
0 45 

0 85 

1 16 


‘♦jack.” 0 45 

JACK HILDRETH ON THE NILE. Taggart. 0 85 

JACK O’LANTERN. Waggaman. 0 45 

JUNIORS OF ST. BEDE’S. Bryson. 0 85 

JUVENILE ROUND TABLE. First Series. 1 00 

JUVENILE ROUND TABLE. Second Series. 1 00 

JUVENILE ROUND TABLE. Third Series. 1 00 

KLONDIKE PICNIC, A. Donnelly. 0 85 

LEGENDS AND STORIES OF THE CHILD JESUS 

FROM MANY LANDS. Lutz. 0 50 

LITTLE APOSTLE ON CRUTCHES, THE. Delamare. 0 45 

LITTLE GIRL FROM BACK EAST, THE. Roberts. 0 45 

LITTLE MARSHALLS AT THE LAKE. Nixon-Roulet 0 60 

LITTLE MISSY. Waggaman. 0 45 

LOYAL BLUE AND ROYAL SCARLET. Taggart. 0 85 

MADCAP SET AT ST. ANNE’S, THE. Brunowe. 0 45 

MAKING OF MORTLAKE, THE. Copus, S.J. 0 85 

MARKS OF THE BEAR CLAWS, THE. Spalding, S.J. 0 85 

MARY TRACY’S FORTUNE. Sadlier. 0 45 

MELOR OF THE SILVER HAND. Bearne, S.J. 0 85 

MILLY AVELING. S. T. Smith. 0 85 

MORE FIVE O’CLOCK STORIES. 0 50 

MOSTLY BOYS. Finn, S.J. 0 85 

MYSTERIOUS DOORWAY, THE. Sadlier. 0 45 

MYSTERY OF CLEVERLY, THE. Barton. 0 85 

MYSTERY OF HORNBY HALL, THE. Sadlier. 0 85 

NAN NOBODY. Waggaman. 0 45 

NED RIEDER. Wehs. 0 85 

NEW BOYS AT RIDINGDALE, THE. Bearne, S.J. 0 85 

NEW SCHOLAR AT ST. ANNE’S, THE. Brunowe. 0 85 

OLD CHARLMONT’S SEED BED. S. T. Smith. 0 45 

OLD MILL ON THE WITHROSE. Spalding, S.J. 0 85 

OUR LADY’S LUTENIST. Bearne, S.J. C 85 

PANCHO AND PANCHITA. Mannix. 0 45 

PAULINE ARCHER. Sadlier. 0 45 

PERCY WYNN. Finn, S.J. 0 85 

PERIL OF DIONYSIO. Mannix. 0 45 

PETRONILLA, AND OTHER STORIES. Donnelly. 0 85 

PICKLE AND PEPPER. Dorsey. 0 85 

PILGRIM hROM IRELAND, A. Carnot. 0 45 

PLAYWATER PLOT. Waggaman. 0 60 

POVERINA. Buckenham. 0 85 

QUEEN’S PAGE, THE. Hinkson. 0 45 

g UEEN’S PROMISE, THE. Waggaman. 0 60 

ACE FOR COPPER ISLAND, THE. Spalding, S.J. 0 85 

RECRUIT TOMMY COLLINS. Bonesteel. 0 45 

RIDINGDALE FLOWER SHOW. Bearne, S.J. 0 85 

ROMANCE OF THE SILVER SHOON. Bearne, S.J. 0 85 

SEA-GULLS’ ROCK, THE. Sandeau. 0 45 

SEVEN LITTLE MARSHALLS, THE. Nixon-Roulet. 0 45 

SHADOWS LIFTED. Copus, S.J. 0 85 

SHEER PLUCK. Bearne, S.J. 0 85 

SHERIFF OF THE BEECH FORK, THE. Spalding, S.J. 0 85 

ST. CUTHBERT’S. Copus^ S.J. 0 85 

STRONG-ARM OF AVALON. Waggaman. 0 85 

SUGAR-CAMP AND AFTER, THE. Spalding, S.J. 0 85 

SUMMER AT WOODVILLE, A. Sadlier. 0 46 

TALES AND LEGENDS OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 

Capella. 0 6$ 


TALISMAN, THE. Saduer. 

TAMING OF POLLY, THE. Dorsey. 

THAT FOOTBALL GAME. Finn, S.J. 

THREE GIRLS AND ESPECIALlV ONE. Taggart. 
TOLD IN THE TWILIGHT. Mother Salome. 
TOM LOSELY: BOY. Copus, S.J. 

TOM’S LUCK-POT. Waggaman. 

TOM PLAYFAIR. Finn, S.J. 

TOORALLADDY. Walsh. 

TRANSPLANTING OF TESSIE, THE. Waggaman. 
TREASURE OF NUGGET MOUNTAIN, THE. 
Taggart. 

TWO LITTLE GIRLS. Mack. 

VIOLIN MAKER OF MITTENWALD, THE. 

SCHACHING. 

WAYWARD WINIFRED. Sadlier. 

WINNETOU, THE APACHE KNIGHT. Taggart. 
WITCH OF RIDINGDALE, THE. Bearne, S.J. 
YOUNG COLOR GUARD, THE. Bonesteel. 


f? flO 
0 85 
0 85 
0 45 
0 85 
0 85 
0 45 
0 85 
0 45 
0 60 

0 85 
0 45 

0 45 
0 85 
0 85 
0 85 
0 45 


BENZIGER’S STANDARD FIFTY-CENT LIBRARY FOR 
EVERYBODY 


Novels and Religious Books by the best Catholic Authors. 
Copyright books. Substantially and attractively bound in cloth. 
Complete list of books in library sent on application. Each 
volume, $0.50. 

CATHOLIC LIBRARIES 

Books of Religious Instruction, Novels, and Juveniles, put up 
in libraries of 10, 12, and 20 volumes, at $10.00, $12.00, and 
$15.00. Payable on the Easy Payment Plan of $1.00 down and 
$1.00 a month. List of libraries sent on application. 


SCHOOLBOOKS. 

Catechisms, Readers (The Catholic National Readers, The 
New Century Readers), Charts, Spellers, Grammar, Bible History, 
United States Histories, Benziger’s Advanced Geography, Ben- 
ziger’s Elementary Geography, Graded Arithmetics, Three-Book 
Series of Arithmetics, Hymnbook, etc., etc. Complete list sent 
on application. 

PRAYER-BOOKS 

Complete illustrated catalogue will be sent on application. 

Sizes of books in inches: 48mo, about 8^ x254; large 48mo, 
about 4x2%; small 82mo, about 4%x3; 82mo, about 4%x3%; 
oblong 32mo, about 6}4x3>4; 24mo, about 6j4x3%; oblong 
84mo, about 6% x 3% ; 16mo, about 6% x 4% ; small 12mo, 7x5. 


FATHER LASANCE’S PRAYER-BOOKS 

Cloth. 

MY PRAYER-BOOK; HAPPINESS IN 
GOODNESS. Reflections, Counsels, Prayers 
and Devotions. 16mo. 1 26 

MY PRAYER-BOOK. India Paper edition. 

16mo. 

MY PRAYER-BOOK. India Paper edition. 

With Epistles and Gospels. l6mo. 


Leather. 

Gilt. 

1 76—2 60 

2 00—6 00 
2 26—2 7 « 


Cloth. 

BLESSED SACRAMENT BOOK. Of¥ers a 
larger and greater variety of prayers than 
any other book in English. Large 16mo. 1 50 
WITH GOD. A Book of Prayers and Re- 
flections. 16mo. 1 25 

THE YOUNG MAN’S GUIDE. For manly 

boys and young men. Oblong 24mo. 0 75 

THE CATHOLIC GIRL’S GUIDE. Counsels 
for Girls in the Ordinary Walks of Life 
and in Particular for the Children of 
Mary. Oblong 16mo. 1 25 

PRAYER-BOOK FOR RELIGIOUS. A com- 
plete manual of prayers for members of 
all religious communities. Small 12mo. net, 1 50 
THOUGHTS ON THE RELIGIOUS LIFE. 
Reflections on the General Principles of 
the Religious Life, on Perfect Charity. 

Small 12mo. net, 1 50 

VISITS TO JESUS IN THE TABERNACLE. 

Hours and Half-Hours of Adoration be- 
fore the Blessed Sacrament. 16mo. 1 25 

MANUAL OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST. 
Conferences on the Blessed Sacrament and 
Eucharistic Devotions. Oblong 24mo. 0 75 

SHORT VISITS TO THE BLESSED SAC- 
RAMENT. Oblong 32mo. 0 25 

MASS DEVOTIONS, AND READINGS ON 
THE MASS. Twelve methods of hearing 
Mass. Oblong 24mo. 0 75 

THE SACRED HEART BOOK. Ob. 24mo. 0 75 

LITTLE MANUAL OF ST. ANTHONY. 

Oblong 82mo. 0 25 

A PIOUS PREPARATION FOR FIRST 
HOLY COMMUNION. 16mo. 0 75 


’Leather. 

Gilt. 

2 00—4 50 
1 75—5 00 
1 25—1 76 

1 75—2 60 

2 50 

2 50 

1 75-2 7f 

1 25 
0 60 

1 25 
1 26 

0 60 

1 25 


PRAYER-BOOKS FOR GENERAL USE 


ALL FOR JESUS. With Epistles and Gospels. 

Small 82mo. 0 80 

BREAD OF LIFE, THE. A Complete Com- 
munion Book for Catholics. By Rev. F. 
WiLLAM. Oblong 24mo. 0 75 

COME, LET US ADORE. A Eucharistic 
Manual. By Rev. B. Hammer, O.F.M. 

Small 32mo. 0 75 

DEVOTIONS AND PRAYERS BY ST. 
ALPHONSUS LIGUORI. A Complete 
Manual of Pious Exercises for Every Day, 
Every Week, and Every Month. Ward. 

16mo. 1 25 

DEVOTIONS AND PRAYERS FOR THE 
SICK ROOM. A Book for Every Catholic 
Family. By Rev. J. A. Krebs, C.SS.R. 

12mo. 1 25 

DOMINICAN MISSION BOOK. By a 
Dominican Father. 16mo. 0 75 


0 40—4 SO 

1 26 
1 26 

1 7S 

1 60—2 00 


Cloth. 

EUCHARISTIC SOUL ELEVATIONS. 
Thoughts and Texts Gleaned from Holy 
Writ. By Rev. W. F. Stadelman, C.S.Sp. 
Oblong 24mo. 0 60 

FLOWERS OF PIETY. Approved Prayers 

for Catholics. 48mo. 0 20 

FOLLOWING OF CHRIST, THE. Thomas 
A Kempis. With Reflections. 32mo. 0 40 

FOLLOWING OF CHRIST. THE. Thomas 

A Kempis. Without Reflections. S2mo. 0 36 
FOLLOWING OF CHRIST, THE. By 
Thomas a Kempis. Illustrated. India 
Paper, Edition de Luxe. 32mo. 

GARLAND OF PRAYER, THE. Contains 
Nuptial Mass. 32mo. 

GOLDEN CEY TO HEAVEN. With Epistles 

and Gospels. Small 32mo. 0 30 

HELP FOR THE POOR SOULS IN PUR- 
GATORY. Ackermann. Small 32mo. 0 60 

HOLY HOUR OF ADORATION, THE. By 

Right Rev. W. Stang, D.D. Oblong 24mo. 0 60 
IMITATION OF THE BLESSED, VIRGIN. 

After the model of the “Imitation of 
Christ.” Small 32mo. 0 60 

IMITATION OF THE SACRED HEART 
OF JESUS. Arnoudt, S.J. 16mo. net, 1.25 
INTRODUCTION TO A DEVOUT LIFE. 

By St. Francis de Sales. Small 32mo. 0 60 
KEY OF HEAVEN, THE. With Epistles 

and Gospels. 48mo. 0 25 

LITTLE MASS BOOK. By Right Rev. 

Mgr. J. S. M. Lynch. Paper. 32mo. 0 05 

MANUAL OF THE HOLY NAME. 24mo. 0 50 
MANUAL OF THE SACRED HEART, 

NEW. Oblong 24mo. 0 35 

MANUAL OF ST. ANTHONY, NEW. 32mo. 0 50 
MANUAL OF ST. JOSEPH, LITTLE. By 
Mgr. a. a. Lings. Oblong 32mo. 0 25 

MISSION-BOOK FOR THE MARRIED. By 
Rev. F. Girardey, C.SS.R. 32mo. 0 60 

MISSION-BOOK FOR THE SINGLE. By 
Rev. F. Girardey, C.SS.R. 32mo. 0 50 

MISSION BOOK OF THE REDEMPTO- 

RIST FATHERS, THE. 32mo. 0 50 

MISSION REMEMBRANCE OF THE RE- 
DEMPTORIST FATHERS. By Rev. P. 
Geiermann. 32mo. 0 50 

OFFICE OF THE HOLY WEEK. 16mo. 0 45 
OUR FAVORITE DEVOTIONS. By Right 

Rev. Mgr. A. A. Lings. Oblong 24mo. 0 75 

OUR FAVORITE DEVOTIONS. By Right 
Rev. Mgr. A. A. Lings. India Paper 
edition. Oblong 24mo. 

OUR FAVORITE NOVENAS. By Right 

Rev. Mgr. A. A. Lings. Oblong 24mo. 0 75 

OUR FAVORITE NOVENAS. Lings. India 
Paper edition. Oblong S4mo. 


Leather. 

Gilt. 

0 90 

0 30—8 26 
0 60—2 00 

0 55—1 76 

1 25—3 75 
1 25—4 50 
0 60—1 80 
1 00 

0 90 

1 00 
1 75 
1 00 

0 40—6 00 

1 10 

0 75—1 86 

0 75 

0 60 

1 00 
1 00 
1 00 

1 00—1 50 

0 90—1 10 

1 20 

1 50—2 60 
1 20 

1 50—2 56 


OUR MONTHLY DEVOTIONS. By Right 
Rev. Mgr. A. A. Lings. 16mo. 

PEARLS OF PRAYER. Measures only 
1 54 X 2 inches. 

POCKET COMPANION. Oblong 48mo. 
PRACTICAL CATHOLIC, THE. Father 
Palau. Oblong 24mo. 

PRACTICAL CATHOLIC, THE. India Paper 
edition with illustrations. Oblong 24mo. 
SERAPHIC GUIDE, THE. 24mo. 

VEST POCKET GEMS OF DEVOTION. 
Oblong 32mo. 

VEST POCKET GEMS OF DEVOTION. 

With Epistles and Gospels. Oblong 32mo. 
VISITS TO THE MOST HOLY SACRA- 
MENT AND TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN 
MARY. By St. Alphonsus Liguori. 
32mo. 

PRAYER-BOOKS WITH LARGE 
KEY OF HEAVEN. Epistles, Gospels. 24mo. 
KEY OF HEAVEN. Epistles, Gospels. 32mo. 
POCKET MANUAL. Ep. andGosp. Ob. 32mo 
WAY TO HEAVEN, THE. 32mo. 


Cloth. 

1 25 

0 45 
0 10 


Leather, 

Gilt. 

2 00 


60—2 25 
25—1 00 


0 60 1 00 — 1 60 


0 60 
0 20 
0 25 


0 35 0 

TYPE 
0 45 0 

0 30 0 

0 25 0 

0 35 0 


25—3 00 
75 

35—3 00 
50—4 50 

75—1 00 

90—3 75 
65—1 85 
50—1 36 
75—1 85 


FOR CHILDREN AND FIRST COMMUNICANTS 
BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ MISSION-BOOK. 

Large 48mo. 

BREAD OF ANGELS. Especially Suited 
for First Communicants. By Rev. B. 

Hammer, O.F.M. Large 48mo. 

CHILD OF MARY, THE. Especially for 
the Use of First Communicants. 32mo. 

CHILDREN’S PRAYER-BOOK, THE. By 
Rev. P. J. Sloan. Small 32mo. 

CHILD’S PRAYER-BOOK, THE. 48mo. 

DEVOUT CHILD, THE. With 18 full-page 
illustrations of the Mass. 48mo. 

FIRST COMMUNICANT’S MANUAL. 

Small 32mo. 

FIRST COMMUNION PRAYER-BOOK FOR 
SMALL CHILDREN. By Rev. P. J. 

Sloan. Small 32mo. 

LITTLE ALTAR BOY’S MANUAL. 

LITTLE FIRST COMMUNICANT, THE. 

By Rev. B. Hammer, O.F.M. Small 32mo. 

PIOUS CHILD, THE. With 18 full-page 
illustrations of the Mass. 48mo. 

SHORT PRAYERS FOR YOUNG CATH- 
OLICS. With Epistles and Gospels. 48mo. 

SODALIST’S VADE MECUM, THE. S2mo. 


1 35 

0 

75 


1 25 

0 

65—4 

50 

) 45 

0 

95—2 

00 

1 20 

0 

60 


I 15 

0 

40—0 

90 

> 10 




) 35 

0 

65—2 

60 

1 20 

0 

50 


) 25 

0 

60 


) 25 

0 

65 


1 12 

0 

45 


1 20 

0 

45 — 1 

95 

» 40 

0 

65 


now 

in 

print 

in 


in cloth, it contains over 6,000 titles and over 300 illustrations 
of authors* 

O/JB 







! 

4 


1 


9 


4 


1 




I 

t 


«• 


r 


» • 

> . . 


t 


• •! 

V 1 

















